The goldsmith's art in ancient Mexico

DIAN NOTES
MONOGRAPHS

GOLDSMITH'S ART
IN ANCIENT MEXICO

INDIAN NOTES

MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

AND MONOGRAPHS

£

HEYE FOUNDATION

SAVILLE — GOLD ORNAMENTS

PL. I

GOLD JEWEL FROM YANHUITLAN. STATE OF OAXACA
Museo National, Mexico. (Actual sizj)

INDIAN NOTES
AND MONOGRAPHS

A SERIES OF PUBLICA-
TIONS RELATING TO THE
AMERICAN ABORIGINES

7

THE GOLDSMITH'S ART IN
ANCIENT MEXICO

BY

MARSHALL H. SAVILLE

NEW YORK

MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN
HEYE FOUNDATION

1920

ss

Tms series of INDIAN NOTES AND MONO-
GRAPHS is devoted primarily to the publica-
tion of the results of studies by members of
the staff of the Museum of the American
Indian, Heye Foundation, and is uniform
with HISPANIC NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS,
published by the Hispanic Society of
America, with which organization this
Museum is in cordial cooperation.

ERRATA

Page 7, line 8, "iron and bronze," read bronze and iron.
17, line 12, "for shields," read /or the knees.

17, line 14, "head pieces," read knee guards.

18, line 5 from bottom, "he brought," read he

brought a woman.

99, line 17, "[arenque, herring?]," read a tadpole.
127, line 17, "an ornament for the Huaxtecans,"

read a Huaxteca.
127, line 22, "a serpent by means of obsidian

needle points," read a serpent with obsidian

points.

(To be inserted in The Goldsmith's Art in Ancient Mexico, by Marshall
H. Saville, Indian Notes and Monographs.)

THE GOLDSMITH'S ART IN
ANCIENT MEXICO

BY

MARSHALL H. SAVILLE

5

CONTENTS

Introduction

PAOJB

7

The Loot Obtained by the Spaniards in
Conquest of Mexico

the
.... 8

Inventories.

. 56

Sources of Gold

104

Uses of Gold . . .

. 108

The Aztec Goldsmiths and their Work .
Gold Jewels from the State of Oaxaca...

... 117

... 143

Nahuan Region . .

176

Tarascan Region

. . 181

Totonacan Region

185

Conclusion

187

Notes

. . . 189

Index

225

INDIAN NOTES

7

THE GOLDSMITH'S ART IN

ANCIENT MEXICO

By MARSHALL H. SAVILLE

INTRODUCTION

>^y=rjj<^TUDENTS of European

\§j^x J archeology generally

^^flgyrffij) distinguish the sequence of

the stages of primitive cul-

ture by the character of the remains, based

on geological stratification, and to divide the

so-called stone age into several_epochs,

followed by the ages of (irof^md jfronz$.

This method cannot be followed in study-

ing the remains of the ancient civilized

tribes of Mexico and Central America.

These tribes used chipped and polished

stone implements, tools and ornaments

of copper and possibly of bronze, and

ornaments and idols of silver and gold,

at the same time. The use of iron was un-

INDIAN NOTES

8

GOLDSMITH'S ART

known. This was their condition at the

time of the Spanish conquest, hence the

attempt to apply the same classification in

Mexican archeology as that in vogue in

European archeology is useless, and we must

look to other means to aid us in elucidating

the difficult problem of the rise and progress

of old Mexican cultures.

These observations at the beginning of

this monograph on the use of gold in ancient

Mexico must be borne in mind, so that we

may not fall into the error of judging the

civilization of the Mexican people by the

well-known method to which we have re-

ferred. We cannot assign any definite age

to the gold jewels about to be described,

although most of them doubtless belong to

the period shortly before the discovery of

America. It does not follow, however, that

gold was not known and used by these an-

cient tribes for many centuries.

THE LOOT OBTAINED BY THE SPAN-

IARDS IN THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO

The lust for gold formed one of the most

important factors in the conquest of Mex-

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

ico and the exploration of New Spain. In
order to extort the precious metal from the
unfortunate Indians, barbarous methods
were often resorted to. Peter Martyr, the

first chronicler of events in the New World, j
commenting on conditions therein, and espe- 1
daily in the larger islands of the West|
Indies, writes that "our men's insatiable \
desire for gold so oppressed these poor
wretches with extreme labor and toil,
whereas before they lived pleasantly and at
liberty, given only to plays and pastimes
as dancing, fishing, fowling and hunting of
little conies, that many of them perished
even for very anguish of mind, the which
(their unaccustomed labor) are things of
themselves sufficient to engender new dis-
eases. . . . But it shall suffice to
have said thus much of the pestiferous hun-
ger of gold. . . . The ravenous hun-
ger of gold hath hitherto greatly hindered
our men from tillage of the soil."1

The first knowledge which the Spaniards
received concerning the rich field of New
Spain, was on the return of the expedition
of Cordoba to Cuba in 1517, which had re-

AND MONOGRAPHS

10

GOLDSMITH'S ART

suited in the discovery of Yucatan.2 Ber-
nal Diaz, who was a member of the expedi-
tion, mentions that on the arrival of the
ships at Santiago (de Cuba), they sent on
shore to the Governor, "a little chest with
the diadems and the ducks and little fish
and other articles of gold and the many
idols. These showed such skilful workman-
ship that the fame of them traveled through-
out the Islands, including Santo Domingo
and Jamaica, and even reached Spain."3
These objects must have been obtained from
the Maya Indians of the coast of the penin-
sula of Yucatan and Campeche, as Cor-
doba skirted the shore only from the vicinity
of Cape Catoche to the present state of
Campeche. On the receipt of these ob-
jects, Velasquez, the governor, determined
to send his nephew, Juan de Grijalva, to this
country in 1518 to follow up the discoveries
of Cordoba. Grijalva sailed around Yuca-
tan, and coasted the shores of southern
Mexico to a point between the present
cities of Vera Cruz and Tampico. He se-
cured at various places numerous gold jewels
either by barter or as presents from the

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

11

Indians. Regarding the treasure of gold
procured by Grijalva, we have meager ac-
counts from the two eye-witnesses who have
written about the expedition, namely, Ber-
nal Diaz, and the chaplain Juan Diaz.4 In
relating what took place along the coast of
the present state of Tabasco, Bernal Diaz
says that in one place where they landed the
Indians "spread on the ground some mats,
which here they call petates, and over them
a cloth, and they presented some golden
jewels, some were diadems, and others were
in the shape of ducks, like those in Castile,
and other jewels like lizards and three neck-
laces of hollow beads and other articles of
gold but not of much value — for they were
not worth more than two hundred dollars."5
Chaplain Juan Diaz makes a somewhat dif-
ferent statement about this first barter; he
writes that "they brought a mask of gilded
wood and two other pieces like discs of gold
of little value." He also mentions a mask
of gold obtained at another place along the
coast. He states that one day the cacique
"told an Indian that he should clothe the
Captain [Grijalva], and the Indian dressed

AND MONOGRAPHS

12

GOLDSMITH'S ART

him in a corselet and some armlets of gold,
buskins up to the middle, and on his head
he put a crown of gold, only that the said
crown was made of very thin gold leaves. "6
This cacique offered to give to Grijalva the
weight in gold of an Indian whom he had cap-
tured if he would release him, but this offer
was refused. The Indian women here were
described as wearing bracelets, little bells,
and necklaces of gold.

While the Spaniards were near the north-
ern shores of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec,
the following amusing incident occurred,
which we will quote in the words of Bernal
Diaz. After relating that the Spaniards
engaged in a brisk trade with the Indians,
giving them white and green glass beads
and other articles in exchange for jewels of
low-grade gold, he goes on to say: "Besides
these things for barter the Indians of that
province usually brought with them highly
polished copper axes with painted wooden
handles, as though for show or as a matter of
elegance, and we thought that they were
made of inferior gold, and began to barter
for them, and in three days we had obtained

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 13

more than six hundred, and we were well
contented thinking that they were made of
debased gold, and the Indians were even
more contented with their beads, but it was
no good to either party, for the axes were
made of copper, and the beads were value-
less."7 He further states that at this place
a sailor went to one of the temples and
found a wooden chest containing many
articles of gold, such as diadems and neck-
laces, and two idols and some hollow beads.
When the Spaniards came to the part of
the Mexican coast near the present city of
Vera Cruz, they found more abundant evi-
dences of the great quantity of gold used by
the Indians. Near the Island of Sacrificios,
certain Indians arrived to visit the Span-
iards, and they were told by the Captain
that they (the Spaniards) desired only
gold, to which the Indians responded that
they would bring some. According to
Juan Diaz, "on the following day, (they)
brought gold cast into bars. The Captain
told them to bring more. The next day
they came with a very beautiful mask of
gold, a small figure of a man wearing a little

AND MONOGRAPHS

14

GOLDSMITH'S ART

mask, and a crown of gold beads, and other
jewels and stones of divers colors. Our
men asked them for some native gold, and
the Indians showed them some and told
them that it came from the foot of the coast
range, because it was found in the rivers
which had their source in the mountains.
An Indian could leave here and reach the
source by midday, and have time before
dark to fill a reed as thick as a finger. In
order to get the gold they had to go to the
bottom of the water and fill their hands with
sand in which they searched for the grains,
which they kept in their mouths. From
the foregoing it is believed that there is
much gold in this country. These Indians
melted the gold in a crucible, in whatever
place they found it, making use of cane
reeds as bellows to light the fire. We saw
them do this in our presence."8

On the return of Grijalva to Cuba, the
Spaniards living there were much excited
over the gold obtained by the expedition.
No doubt Grijalva made an official report,
and it is evidently this report which was
used by Oviedo in the extended account of

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

15

this expedition included in his history.9

Governor Velasquez must have made an

inventory of the treasure which he remitted

to the King of Spain, and this is probably

the list published by Lopez de Gomara,10 a

translation of which follows:

The Barter that was got by Juan de Grijalva

Juan de Grijalva obtained by barter with

the Indians of Potonchan, San Juan de Ulua

and other places of that coast, so much and so

: many things, that those of his company cher-

ished the wish to remain there, and for the little

price that [they paid] they took pleasure to ex-

change with them as much as they [the Indians]

brought. The work of many of them [the things
brought] was worth more than the material. He
got, in fine, the following:

A little hollow idol of gold.

Another idol of the same [material], with

horns, and long hair, which has a necklace on

the neck, a fan in the hand, and a small stone

in the navel.

One like a disc of thin gold with some stones

inlaid.

A helmet of gold with two horns, and a switch

of long black hair.

Twenty- two ear-rings of gold, each with three

pendants, of the same [material].

Other smaller ear-rings of gold.

Four very wide bracelets of gold.

A delicate head-band of gold.

AND MONOGRAPHS

I. N. M.— 2

16

GOLDSMITH'S ART

A necklace of hollow gold beads, with a very
well made frog among them.

Another necklace of the same [kind] , with a
little lion of gold.

A pair of drop ear-rings.

Two eaglets of gold, well cast.

A small saucer of gold [that weighed six
ounces, Bustamante edition].

Two drop ear-rings of gold and turquoises,
each with eight pendants.

A woman's necklace ot twelve pieces [each]
with twenty- four pendants of stones.

A large gold collar.

Six small collars of thin gold.

Seven other collars of gold with stones

Four drop ear-rings of gold leaf.

Twenty fish-hooks of gold with which the\
fished.

Twenty grams of gold which weighed fifty
ducats.

A braid of gold.

Small thin slabs of gold.

An olla of gold.

A thin hollow idol of gold.

Some delicate poniards of gold.

Nine hollow gold beads, with their ends.

Two strings of gilded beads.

Another string of gilded wood [beads], with
little gold quills.

A small gold cup with eight purple stones
and twenty-three of other colors.

A mirror with two faces, adorned with gold.

Four gold bells.

A small thin saucer of gold.

A small gold canister.

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 17

Certain small necklaces of gold, of little value,
and some small pendant ear-rings of base gold.

One like an a,pp\e(manzana) of hollow gold.

Forty hatchets of gold with a mixture of
copper, that were worth as much as twenty-
five hundred ducats.

All the pieces needful for arming a man, of
thin gold.

An armor of wood with gold leaf, and [inlaid
with] small bits of black stones.

A head-dress of leather and gold.

Four armors of wood for"SSi^^>covered with
gold leaf. vCvvee s^^JU

Two large head pieces of wood, [covered]
with gold leaves.

Two shields, covered with many fine colored
feathers.

Other shields of gold and feathers.

A large colored feather piece, with a small
bird of natural size in the center.

A fan of gold and feathers.

Two fans of feathers.

Two small pitchers of alabaster, filled with
divers stones, somewhat fine, and among them
one of the value of two thousand ducats.

Certain beads of tin.

^ Five necklaces of round clay beads covered
with very thin gold leaf.

One hundred and thirty hollow gold beads.

Many other necklaces of gilded wood and
clay [beads].

Many other gilded beads.

Some tijeras [possibly t trader as, throwing
sticks], of gilded wood.

Two gilded masks.

A mosaic mask with gold. '

AND MONOGRAPHS

18

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Four masks of gilded wood, one of which
has two straight rods of mosaic with small bits
of turquoise, and another [with] the ears of the
same, although with more gold.

Another was a mosaic of the same as the
nose above, and the other as the eyes above.

Four plates of wood, covered with gold leaf
[or jicaras like great dishes of large calabashes,
Bustamante edition].

A head of a dog covered with stone mosaic-
work.

Another head of an animal of stone adorned
with gold with its crown and crest, and two
pendants which were all of more delicate gold.

Five pairs of shoes like rope-soled sandals.

Three red skins.

Seven flint knives for [use in] sacrificing.

Two small wooden painted shields, and a jar.

A very handsome doublet with short sleeves,
of colored feathers.

Something like a wrapper of fine cotton
[cloth].

A large mantle of fine feathers.

Many mantles of delicate cotton [cloth].

Many other man ties of coarse cotton [cloth],

Two hoods or Moorish veils, of good cotton
[cloth].

Many pinetes [pevetes, Bustamante edition]
of soft colors.

Much aji (peppers) and with oj^er fruits.

Besides this he brought* mat^was given
him, and certain Indian ffien whom he had
taken. For one of the men he had been offered
his weight in gold, but he would not take it.
He also brought news that there were Amazons

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 19

in certain islands, and many .believed it, sur-

prised at the barter which he brought at such

sordid price : because all of it had cost not more

than six shirts of coarse linen, five kerchiefs,

three common breeches, five women's shoes,

five wide belts of leather worked with spun

colors with their bags, many little bags of

sheepskin, many laces of one and two ferrules

six satinwood mirrors, four glass plaques, two

thousand green glass beads, which they much

appreciated, one hundred necklaces of many-

colored beads, twenty combs which they valued

highly, six scissors which they were pleased

with, fifteen large and small knives, one thou-

sand sewing needles, two thousand pins, eight

sandals, some pliers, a hammer, seven colored

hoods, three large coats with colored strips,

a coat of frieze with a hood, and a threadbare

loose garment of black velvet, with a cap of

black velvet.

Peter Martyr, in the Fourth Decade of

his De Orbe Now, first printed in 1521, in

describing the voyage of Grijalva, writes

that: "Off the coast of Yucatan and well on

the way from the island of Cozumel, the

Spaniards encountered a canoe filled with

fishermen. There were nine of them, and

they fished with golden hooks."11

These are probably the hooks men-

tioned in the above list. No specimens of

AND MONOGRAPHS

20

GOLDSMITH'S ART

'gold fish-hooks from Mexico are known to
I the writer, although they are common
enough from the Ecuadorian and Colombian
coasts.12

Velasquez now resolved to send another
expedition to establish a permanent settle-
ment in the new country, and in 1519 it set
forth from Cuba under command of Hernan
Cortes. After the arrival of the Spaniards
on the coast of Vera Cruz, the Indians were
not long in ignorance of the consuming
thirst of the conquerors for gold. In order
to placate the formidable strangers, with
childlike confidence that by giving them
their wish the invasion of his dominions
would be averted, Montezuma sent rich
presents to Cortes through Tendile (Teuh-
tlile), governor of Cuetlaxtla (the modern
Cotastla), which was then subject to the
Aztecs. When all this treasure thus
brought together was ready to be sent to
Spain, with the report of the voyage, an
inventory or list of the objects was drawn
up and despatched with two special mes-
sengers, Alonso Portocarrero and Francisco
de Montejo, who were charged to deliver

INDIANNOTES

SPANISH LOOT

21

the treasure to the King. These valuable

gifts have been briefly described by several

members of the expedition who saw them

before they left Mexico, and on their re-

ceipt in Spain they were described by

various other chroniclers.13

We present a translation of the important

inventory,14 with certain valuable notes

made by Mora in his edition of the work of

Clavigero.

''Report of the Jewels, Shields, and Clothing

sent to the Emperor Charles the Fifth by

Don Fernando Cortes and the Town Council

of Vera Cruz with their Proctors Francisco

de Montejo and Alonso Hernandez Porto-

carrero.

"That which is contained in this report is

of the greatest interest, because it manifests

what was the state of the fine arts of the Mexi-

cans before they had any communication with

the Europeans. D. Juan Muiioz collated, on

March 30, 1784, the report which follows of

the presents sent from New Spain, with another

which he found in the book called Manual del

Tesorero of the Casa de la Contratacion of

Seville, and of this latter manuscript are the

variants which we place at the foot. [Given

here as footnotes.]

AND MONOGRAPHS

22

GOLDSMITH'S ART

"The gold and jewels and stones and feather-
worka which they had in these newly discov-
ered places,b after we arrived here, which you,
Alonso Fernandez Portocarrero and Francisco
de Montejo, who go as proctors of this rich
town of Vera Cruz, carry to the very high and
very excellent princes and very Catholic and
very great kings and lords, the Queen Dona
Juana and Don Carlos her son, our lords, are
the following:
"First, a large wheel of gold, with the figure
of monsters on it,c and all worked with [gold]
foliage, weighing three thousand eight pesos
of gold; and in this wheel, because it was the
best piece which has been found here,d and of
the best gold, they took the fifth part for their
Highnesses, that was* two thousand castella-
nos that pertained* to their fifth and royal
right according to the stipulation that Captain
Fernando Cortes carried^ from the fathers of
San Jeronimo who reside on the island of
Espanola, and on others ;h and all that goes to
make up one thousand eight hundred pesos,1
the council of this townJ place at the service of
their Highnesses,k with all the rest which is

a And feathers and silver that they found iu these places,
etc. b Newly discovered by Captain Fernando Cortes,
sent from the rich town of Vera Cruz, with Alonso Her-
nandez Portocarrero and Francisco de Montejo for their
catholic majesties, and that were received in this house
(de la Contratacion), Saturday, November 5, 1519, are the
following. ° With a figure of [a] monster in the center.
d Which here had been had. e Were. 'Which
belonged to them. g Brought. h And in all the others.
! Of the said three thousand and eight hundred ounces.
J The council of the town. k To their Majesties of it.

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

23

contained in this report, which belonged to
those of this said town.a

""Item: two collars1* of gold and stone mosaic-
work (precious stones) , one of which0 has eight
strings, and in them two hundred and thirty-two
red stones, and one hundred and sixty-three
green stones; and hanging from the said collar^
from the border of it twenty-seven gold bells,
and in the center of them there are four figures
of large stones sete in gold, and from each one
of the two in the centerf hang simple pendants,s
and of those at the ends'1 each [has] four doubled
pendants. * And the other collar hasi four
strings that have one hundred and two red
stones and one hundred and seventy- two stones
that appear to have a green color, and around
the said stones twenty-six gold bells, and in the
said collar ten large stones set in gold, from
which hang one hundred and forty-two pend-
ants1* of gold.

"Four pairs of antiparras (leggings), two
pairs being of delicate gold leaf, with a trim-
ming of yellow deerskin, and the other two
[pairs], of thin silver leaf, with a trimming of
white deerskin,1 and the others of featherworkm
of divers colors, and very well made, from each
one of which hang sixteen gold bells, and all
trimmed with red deerskin.

"Another item: a hundred ounces of gold

a Which belongs to them. b Another item: two large

collars. c That the one of them. d And hang from

the said collar. e Inlaid. f And in the center of the

one. g Hang seven pendants. . And in the ends of

the two. 'Pendants. J And one of them.

k Pendants. ' Of white deer [skin] the trimming.

m And the rest of feather-work.

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24 GOLDSMITH'S ART

for casting, so that their Highnesses* might
see how they get gold here from the mines.

"Another item: a boxb of a large piece "of i
feather-work lined with leather, the colors
seeming like martens, and fastened and placed
in the said piece, and in the center [is] a large
disc of gold,c which weighed sixty ounces of
gold, and a piece of blue stone mosaic- work a
little reddish,d and at the end of the piece another
piece of colored feather-work that hangs from it.e

"Item:f a fan of colored feather- work with
thirty-seven small rodss covered with gold.

"Another item: a large piece of colored
feather-work which is to be worn** on the head,
which is surrounded by* sixty-eighti small
pieces of gold, each pnek of which is as large
as a half copper coin, and below them are
twenty little turrets of gold.l

"Item: a mitre™ of blue stone mosaic- work
with the figure of monsters11 in the center of
it, and lined with leather which seems in its
colors to be that of martens, with a small
[piece] of feather-work which is, as the one
mentioned above, of this said mitre.0

"Item: four harpoons of feather- work? with
their points of flint fastened with a gold thread,
and a scepter of stone mosaic-work with two
rings of gold, and the rest of feather-work.

a Their Royal Highnesses. b In a box. c Of large gold.
d And a little reddish like a wheel, and another piece of blue
tone mosaic-work a little reddish. e That hang from it of
colors. f Another item.. g Rods. h Which put. 'And
surrounding it. • } Seventy -eight. k That each

may be a large. ' And below them twenty little tur-

rets of gold. m A miter. n Monster. ° Which,
and the one above which is mentioned are of this said miter.
p Four hurpares (harpoons) of feather-work.

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

25

"Item:a an armlet of stone mosaic-work,
and furthermore, a piece of small black feather-
workb \\-ith other colors.
"Item: a pair of large sandals of colored
leather that appears like martens, the soles
white, sewed with threads of gold.d
" Furthermore : a mirror placed in a piece of
blue and red stone mosaic-work with feather-
work stuck6 to it, and two strips of red leather
stuck* to it, and another skin that seemss like
those martens.
"Item:h three colored [pieces] of feather-
work, which are (pertain to) a large gold head
like a crocodile.
"Item: some leggings of blue* stone mosaic-
work, lined with leather, of which the colors
seemJ like martens; on each onek of them
[there are] fifteen gold bells.
"Item;! a maniple (standard) of wolf-skin,
with four strips of skin like martens.
"Furthermore: some fibersm placed in [the
quills of] colored feathers, and the said fibers
are white, and appear11 like locks of hair.
"Item:0 two colored [pieces of] feather-
work which are for two [pieces of] head armor?
of stone mosaic-work, which is mentioned
further on.

a Another item. b Of feathers. "Item:
a pair of shoes of a skin which in its colors looks like, etc.
d Some small tiritas (bands) of gold. e Stuck. . f Stuck.
g Which appear. h Another item. '.Further-
more, some leggings of blue stone-mosaic. } Appear.
k With each. ' Another item. m Further-
more in some barbas (fibers). n And appear.
0 Another item. p Capacetes (head armor).

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26 GOLDSMITH'S ART

"More, two other [pieces of] colored feather-
work which are for two pieces of gold which
they weara on the head, made likeb great shells.

"More, two birds of green feathers with
their feet, beaks, and eyes [made] of gold, which
are put in a piece of one of those shell-like pieces
of gold.0

"More, two guariques (ear ornaments) of
blue stone mosaic-workd which are to be put
in the big head of the crocodile.

"In another square box a head of a large
crocodile of gold, which is the one spoken of
above, where the said piecese are placed.

"More, another head armor* of blue stone
mosaic-work withe twenty gold bells which
hang pendent at the border, with two strings11
of beads which are above1 each bell, and two
guariques of wood with two plates of gold.

"More, a birdi of green feathers, and the
feet, beak, and eyes of gold.

"Item: another head armork of blue stone
mosaic-work with twenty-five gold bells, and
two beads of gold above each bell, that hang
around it with somel guariques of wood with
plates of gold, and a bird of green plumage
with the feet, beak, and eyes of gold.

"Item: in an haba of reed two large pieces
of gold which they put on the head, which are
made like a gold shell with their guariques of
wood and plates of gold, and besides, two birds

a Which are worn. b Like. c This part is

lacking in the Sevillian manuscript. d Of blue stone.

e For which are the pieces. f Capacele (head armor).

8 In. With two beads. * Which are in

Canada (pendent?). J Furthermore: a female bird.

k Capacele (head armor). ' Some.

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

27

of green plumage, with their feet, beaks, and

eyes of gold.a

"Moreover: sixteen shields of stone mosaic-

work, with their colored feather-work hanging

from the edge of them,b and a wide-angled slab

with stone mosaic-work with its colored feather-

work, and in the center of the said slab, made of

the said stone mosaic-work, a cross of a wheelc

which is lined with leather, which has the color

of martens.

"Again, a scepter of red stone mosaic-work,

made liked a snake, with its head, teeth, and

eyes from what appears to be mother-of-pearl,

and the hilt is adorned with the skin® of a

spotted animal, and below the said hilt hang

six small pieces of feather-work.

"Another item: a fan* of feather-work,

placed in a reed adorned with the skin of a

spotted animal, after the manner of a weather-

cock, and above it has a crown of feather-work,

and finallyg has all over it long green feathers.

" Item : two birds made*1 of thread and feather-

work, having the quills of their wings, tails, and

the claws of their feet, and the eyes and the ends

of the beaks made of gold,* placed in respective

reeds, covered with gold, and below some feath-

er down, one white, the other yellow, i with cer-

tain gold embroidery between the feathers, and

from each one hang seven strands of feathers.

a This part is lacking in the Sevillian manuscript.
b Around them. c Of wheels. d Like. « With

a skin. f A fan.. g Which finally. hltem:

two ducks made. ' And they have the quills of the wings

and the tails of gold and the claws of the feet, and the

eye« and the ends of the feet placed, etc. J The one

white and the other yellow.

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28

GOLDSMITH'S ART

"Item: four feet made* after the manner of
skates placed in respective canesb covered with
gold, having0 the tails and the organs of respira-
tion, and the eyes and mouths of gold; belowd
in the tails some green feather-work, and having
; toward the mouths of the said skates* respec-
tive crowns of colored feather-work, and on
some of the white feathers are [hanging]f cer-
tain gold embroidery, and below hangg from
each six strands of colored feather- work. '

"Item: a small copper rodh lined with a skin
in which is placed* a piece of gold after the
manner of feather-work, which above and below
has certain colored feather-work.

" Another item: five fansi of colored feather-
I work, four of themk have ten1 small quills covered
with gold, and the other has thirteen.01

"Item: four harpoons of white flint,n placed
in four rods of feather-work.o

"Item: a large shield of feather- work lined
on the back? with the skin of a spotted animal;
in the center of the field of the said shield [is]
a plate of gold with a figure, like those that the
Indians make, with four other half plates of
gold on the edge, which altogether form a cross

"Another item: a piece of feather-workq
of divers colors, made liker a half chasuble,
lined with the skin of a spotted animal, which

a Item: three pieces made. b Canes. c And which
have. d And below. e And toward the mouths of the
said skates have, etx. f Hang. g And below the

handle hang. h Vergueta (rod). ' In a skin put.

J Item : four fans. k Which three of them. ' And

they have three each. m And one has thirteen.

nPedrenal (flint). ° Trimmed with feather work.

P Trimmed on the back. <i Feather- work. rLike.

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

29

the lords of these parts whom we have seen up
to now, place3 hanging from the neck, and over
the chest they have thirteen piecesb of gold
very well fitted [together].
''Item: a piece of colored feather- work
which the lords of this land are wont to put
on their heads,c and from it hang two ear-orna-
mentsd of stone mosaic-work with two bells
and two beads of gold, and above a feather-
work of wide green feathers, and below hange
some white, long hairs.
"Again, four heads of animals: two seem to
be wolves, and the other two tigers,* with some
spotted skins, and from it hangs metal bells. .
"Item: two skins of spotted animals, lined
on some mantles of cotton,h and the skins
appear like those of the gato cerval* [wildcat?].
"Item: a reddish and grayish skin of another
animal, arid two other skins that seem like deer.J
"Item: four skins of small deer, of which
they make here the small prepared gloves. k
"Moreover, two books of those which the
Indians have here.
"Moreover: a half-dozen fans1 of colored
feather-work.
"Moreover: a perfume censer of colored
feathers, with certain embroidery on it.m

a Which the lords of these parts, who until now, were put.
b And on the breast thirteen nieces. c Like the helmet of
one who plays at jousts. d Ear ornaments. e From.
And the other tw.o tigers. gAnd from them. h Mantles
of cotton. l Which seems of gato cerval [wildcat?].
1 Of another animal which seems to be a lion, and two
other deerskins. k Furthermore: four small tanned deer-
skins, and furthermore a half dozen [pieces] of stamped
leather, which the Indians here make. ' Of fly flaps.
m This part is lacking in the Sevillian manuscript.

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30

GOLDSMITH'S ART*

"Again: [a] large wheel of silver which
weighed forty-eight marks of silver ;a more-
over, some armlets and some beaten [silver]
leaves, weighing a mark and five ounces, and
forty adarmes of silver, b And a large shield
and another small one of silver which weighed
four marks and two ounces; and two other
shields which appear to be of silver, weighing
six marks, two ounces.0 And another shield
which appears to be also of^silver,^ weighing
one mark, seven ounces: which [shields] alto-
gether weigh sixty two marks of silver.6

"Cotton Clothing*

"Another item: two large pieces of cotton
woven in patterns of white and black,e very
rich.
"Item: two pieces woven with feathers,h
and another piece woven in various colors;'
another piece woven in red, black, and white
patterns, and on the back the patterns dp not
appear.J
"Item: another piece woven with patterns,
and in the center are some black wheels of
feathers.^

a Which weighed by scale forty-eight marks of silver.
b Furthermore: some armlets and some beaten leaves, a
mark, five ounces and four adarmes. c Which weighed
six marks and two ounces of silver. d Which also seems
of silver. e This is lacking in the Sevillian manu-
script, "which are altogether sixty-two marks of silver."
f This title is lacking in the manuscript of Vienna. . « Of
white and black and tawny. h Of feather. . ' And
another woven piece in colored checkers. J Another
piece of colors, black color, white: on the back the patterns
do not appear. k Of feathers.

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

31

"Item: two white cotton cloths with some

feather- work woven in.a

"Another cotton cloth with some colored

cords attached to it.b

"A loose garment of the men of the land.

"A white0 piece with a great wheel of white

feathers in the center.

"Two pieces of grayish guascasa^ with some

wheels of feathers, and two others of tawny

guascasa*

"Six painted pieces,f another red piece with
some wheels, and two other blue painted pieces,

and two women's shirts.

"Eleven veils.s

"Six shields, each one having a plate of gold,
that covers the shield, and a half miter of gold.h"

"Which things, each one of them, as set

forth by these chapters that declare and

settle it, we, Alonso Fernandez Puertocarrero

and Francisco de Monte jo, the said proctors,

[certify] it is true that we have received them,

and they were delivered to us to carry to their

Highnesses, from thou, Fernando Cortes, chief

justice for their Highnesses in these parts, and

from you, Alonso de Avila and Alonso de Grado,

treasurer and overseer of their Highnesses over

here. And because it is true, we sign it with

our names. Dated, the sixth of July of the year

1519. Puertocarrero. Francisco de Monte jo.

a With some woven feather-work. b Another mantle

with some little colored pieces stuck on. c Another
piece. d Two pieces of guascaza. eGuascaza. ' Six

painted pieces. g This part is lacking in the manu-

script of Vienna. " Six shields, which has each

one a plate of gold which covers all the shield. — Item: a

half miter of gold.

AND MONOGRAPHS

I. N. M.— 2

32 GOLDSMITH'S ART

"The things above enumerated in the said
memorial, with the aforesaid letter and report
sent by the Council of Vera Cruz, were received
by our Lord, the King, Charles the Fifth, as
has been beforesaid, in Valladolid during Holy
Week, at the beginning of April, of the year of
Our Lord, 1520." [End of the inventory.]

"In place of the two preceding paragraphs
which are not found in the manuscript of the
Manual del Tesorero de la Casa de la Con-
tratacion of Seville, there is [there] the following :
'All of those said things, as they have come to
us, we send to His Majesty with Domingo de
Ochandiano, by virtue of a letter which His
Majesty commanded us to write about, dated
in Molina del Rey, the fifth of December, 1519:
and the said Domingo brought a decree of His
Majesty, in which he commanded that the
above-mentioned things should be delivered
to Luis Veret, guardian of the jewels of His
Majesty, and the receipt of the said Luis Veret
that he had received them, is in the power of
the said treasurer.'

"Don Juan Bautista Munoz adds: 'It is
stated in the same (Manual del Tesorero)
I that in fulfilment of the said decree, four
Indians were richly dressed, two of them
caciques, and two Indian girls, who were
brought by Montejo and Puertocarrero, and
sent to His Majesty in Tordesillas, where His
Majesty was [living]. They left Seville,
February 7, of the year 1520, and on the trip,
and during their stay, and on the return,
which was on the twenty-second of March,
they spent forty-five days. One of the Indians

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

33

did not go to Court, because he was taken sick
in Cordoba, and returned to Seville. After
coming from Court, one died. The five re-
mained in Seville very well taken care of until
March, 1521, the day on which they left on
the ship of Ambrosio Sanchez directed to
Diego Velasquez in Cuba, that he should do
with them that which would be best for the
service of His Majesty.' "

Notes by Mora

"As at the present time many of the terms
here are forgotten which are used in this pre-
ceding report, it is necessary to give some idea
o'f the things that now correspond to them for
greater intelligence. The pujantes or pinj antes
that served to adorn the collars and other
jewelry were pendants such as are now used in
drop ear-rings and necklaces.
"The antiparras or antiparas are described
in this manner in the first dictionary of the
Spanish language, published by the Academy
in 1726, that gives the origin of the words and
authorities in which the meaning is founded:
'certain kind of stockings reaching to the
knees or leggings that cover the legs and the
feet only, for the front part.' .... The

patena was a round adornment with some fig-
ures sculptured on it, that was worn hanging
from the neck.
"The moscador or mosqueador was a kind of
feather fan, like those recently used by the
women.^ It was used quite frequently among
the ancient Mexicans, and in hardly any paint-

AND MONOGRAPHS

34

GOLDSMITH'S ART

ing of that time, is it not found. They em
ployed in making them the richest feathers
and the handles were adorned with the precious
stones of which they had knowledge.

"The guariques, I have not been able to
discover what thing it was. 1S

"Caparetes were capacetes, a piece of armor
that covered the head.

"The lizas were an imitation of the fish of
that name; placed in sendas cimas, that is.
placed each one in the extremity of a small
rod. In this class of casting with divers metals,
the Mexican silversmiths were very skilful,
for not only did they know how to take out the
pieces in a single casting, like those here de-
scribed, with the tails, and the sides of the
heads of birds, the eyes and the mouths of
gold, besides altering the scales, some of gold
and others of silver.

"The verjitas were little rods of metal or
other material like a cane or walking-stick,
with some figure or feather- work in the end.
They are frequently seen in the ancient Mexi-
can paintings.

"The prepared gloves are to be understood
as tanned skin.

"The woven pieces of cotton with designs
that do not appear on the reverse, prove the
advancement that they had made, for they
knew how to weave with double woof, for that
is what this artifice consisted of.

"The Indians who were taken to Court,
according to Bernal Diaz, were the four who
were in Tabasco being fattened in 'bird-
cages' of wood, in order to be sacrificed, and

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 35

they were the first who were sent as examples
of the inhabitants of the land."

The two great discs of gold and silver, lik-
ened to cart-wheels in size, which figure as
the most imposing of the presents given to
Cortes at this time, are described by a num-
ber of persons who examined the treasure.
These notable pieces were seen and com-
mented on by Bernal Diaz, Andres de
Tapia, Francisco de Aguilar, and a serving
man, before they left Mexico. It is strange
that they are not mentioned in the letter
sent to the Queen and Emperor of Spain by
the judiciary and municipal authorities of
the newly founded city of Villa Rica de la
Vera Cruz, which is dated July 10. They
are not specifically referred to in the men-
tion of certain jewels of gold presented to
the Captain, "and the others which we ob-
tained afterward of which we make relation
to Your Majesties hi a memorial which our
proctors take with them." This memorial
is of course the Inventory printed above.
It would be interesting to note what Cortes
says about them in the missing First letter.

AND MONOGRAPHS

36

GOLDSMITH'S ART

After their receipt in Spain, these wheels,
with the rest of the objects, were examined
Jin Seville by Oviedo y Valdes, one Diego
Dienz, and an anonymous writer, and in
Valladolid by Peter Martyr and Las Casas.
Descriptions more or less brief of all these
persons have been published, and they all
agree in the main. Measurements are at
hand to establish the immense size of these
discs. The gold wheel, according to Peter
Martyr, was 28 palms in circumference;
Oviedo and Gomara make it 30. In diam-
eter, Oviedo gives it as 9? palms wide,
Gomara makes it 10, while the servant
gives 7. All the writers say that it was the
size of a cart-wheel, except Martyr, who
likens it to the size of a millstone. The
palm is about 8| inches, hence, from the
estimates of the diameter, it is safe to say
that it measured between five to a little
less than seven feet in width and height.
The estimates made of the circumference
would make it fully six and one-half feet in
diameter. The weight of gold is given in
the Inventory as 3800 pesos. Peter Mar-
tyr writes "3800 castellahos," while Oviedo

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 37

makes it 4800 pesos, and Las Casas simply
thinks that it weighed more than 100 marks,
and other writers have different estimates.
We are safe in following the 3800 pesos of
the Inventory. Only one estimate is given
of its thickness, that of Las Casas, who says
that it was of the thickness of a four-real
coin, but both Las Casas and Peter Martyr
agree in saying that it was massive, hence
probably not very flexible.

There can be no doubt that the Mexican
calendar was represented on this golden
disc, for we have the specific statement that
the sun was depicted, by Bernal Diaz, An-
dres de Tapia, Francisco de Aguilar, Oviedo,
and Las Casas. Bernal Diaz says that it
had all kinds of pictures on it; Las Casas
writes that certain animals were stamped on
it, while Peter Martyr, who is more explicit,
describes it as having "in the center the
image of a man, a cubit high, resembling a
king, seated upon his throne, the figure being
draped to the knees: it is like a zemi [an
Antillean word for idol], that is to say, it has
the features we ascribe to nocturnal gob-
lins." In the Inventory we find the state-

AND MONOGRAPHS

38 GOLDSMITH'S ART

ment that it had on it the figures of
monsters.

The silver disc is generally described as
being about the same size as the one of gold,
one statement being that it was a little
finger smaller. All agree that it represented
the moon. Clavigero writes that according
to what Gomara says, the gold wheel repre-
sented the figure of their century, and that
of silver the figure of their year. That these
extraordinary objects were not preserved is
a matter of lasting regret.

The description of the two gold necklaces
as given by the early authorities agree in
nearly every particular. We have the In-
ventory, the description of Peter Martyr,
and that of Gomara. The first necklace was
composed of eight chains or strings, contain-
ing 232 red stones, — so far they are in ac-
cord. Peter Martyr and Gomara state
that there were also 183 greenstones; the
Inventory says 163. Hanging from the
necklace were 27 golden bells; the Inventory
states that "in the center of them [the line
of bells] are four figures of large stones set
in gold, and from each one of the two in the

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 39

center hang simple pendants, and of those
at the end, each has four doubled pendants."
Martyr says, "The bells are surrounded by
four figures set in jewels of wrought gold,
and hang from the collar; from each bell
hangs a gold pendant." Gomara writes,
"Twenty-seven little gold bells and some
heads of pearls or rock hang from them
[the strings of beads]."

All the writers agree that the second neck-
lace had four chains or strings, 102 red
stones, and 172 greenstones. Gomara and
the Inventory give 26 gold bells; Martyr
does not mention them. The Inventory
also states that it contained "ten large
stones set in gold from which hang 142 gold
pendants." Martyr writes, "ten large
stones set in gold from which are suspended
150 wrought pendants." Gomara says,
"ten good pearls, not badly set, and for a
border 26 little gold bells, and there are
other beautiful things besides those men-
tioned." Thus in the main we have three
different accounts which closely agree in
their description of these two remarkable
collars.

AND MONOGRAPHS

40

GOLDSMITH'S ART

While Cortes was on his famous journey
from the coast to the valley of Mexico,
Montezuma sent to him, in Tlaxcala, valu-
able gold objects which are stated by Bernal
Diaz to have been worth about ten thousand
dollars, and later, while at Cholula, he re-
ceived from the same source a gift of gold
objects worth more than two thousand dol-
lars. On his entry into Tenochtitlan, Mon-
tezuma came out on the causeway at the en-
trance of the city to meet Cortes and his
followers, and in exchange for a collar of
pearls and glass beads which Cortes placed
around his neck, he gave to the conqueror
"two collars of prawns, wrapped in a cloth,
which were made of the cores of red shells,
which they esteemed highly, and from each
collar depended eight golden prawns, almost
a span long, executed with much perfec-
tion."16

But the treasure already secured was a
mere handful compared with that obtained
by Cortes in Tenochtitlan after the invasion
of the Aztec capital. Reports of the great
wealth hoarded by the Aztecs had been
given the Spaniards by the natives of Tlax-

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

41

cala. There are very interesting stories as

to how the Spaniards came into possession

of this treasure. Sahagun, who was not,

however, one of the conquerors, says that

it was a free-will offering on the part of

Montezuma, who conducted the Spaniards

to a chamber called Teuhcalco where the

wealth inherited from his ancestors was-

stored, and turned it over to them.17

The version of Cervantes de Salazar is

that one day Cortes told Montezuma that

the King (of Spain) had need of money on

account of the great expenses he had in-

curred in wars. So Montezuma "ordered

that some Spaniards should go with certain

of his servants to the house of birds, who on

entering a great hall saw a great quantity of

gold in slabs, small tiles, jewels, and worked

pieces."18

Cortes does not expatiate in his letter

about this hoard of gold and other precious

objects which had been accumulated and

augmented by the different Aztec kings,

and handed from monarch to monarch as

the property of the people. He mentions in

his report to the King of Spain that Mon-

AND MONOGRAPHS

42 GOLDSMITH'S ART

tezuma, in refuting the "fabulous stories"
about the vast wealth that he possessed,
such as "houses with walls of gold" and fur-
niture and other things of the same mate-
rial, stated, "It is indeed true that I have
some things of gold, which ha,ve been left to
me by my forefathers. All that I possess
you may have whenever you wish."

The most detailed account is that furn-
ished us by Father Diego Duran, "a son of
Mexico," who wrote his invaluable Historia
de las Indias de Nueva Espana during the
sixteenth century while some of those who
took part in the conquest were still living.
He says that he procured his information
from the mouth of a religious conqueror.
This was Francisco de Aguilar, who is men-
tioned as Alonso de Aguilar by Bernal Diaz,
who states that Friar Aguilar was a good
soldier and a devout man, who later entered
the order of the Dominicans. He was
wealthy, and had a good apportionment of
Indians. When more than eighty years of
age he was persuaded to write an account of
the conquest. This is the fifth account of
the conquest which has come down to us

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

43

from eye-witnesses. It has only recently

come to light, the manuscript having been

found by Troncoso in the Biblioteca del

Escorial in Spain in 1892, and has been pub-

lished in the Anales del Museo National de

Mexico, tomo vn, 1900. It was apparently

written about the year 1579, and is entitled

"Relatio breue de la Conquista de la

Nueva Espana, por Fr. Francisco de

Aguilar de la Orden de Santo Domingo."

Aguilar informed Duran that a search

was made with great diligence for the ward-

robe and treasure of Montezuma, until one

day their solicitude and greed were re-

warded by their observing that —

"a very small, low door that was stopped

up in a secret chamber, and recently covered

with plaster, should not be so without mystery.

and it was ordered to be opened, and entering

by that narrow and low door, they found a

large and spacious room, in the middle of

which was a heap of gold, jewels, and precious

stones, as high as a man; so high was it, that

one was not seen on the other side: which pile.

if we wish to know about it according to his-

tory, was not a thing acquired by Montezuma,

nor a thing that he might be able to profit by,

because it was the treasure that all the kings,

his forefathers, went on leaving, and which

AND MONOGRAPHS

44 GOLDSMITH'S ART

the king who came in was not able to profit by:
and so on the death of the king, the same day
that he died, all the treasure that he left o'f
gold, stones, feathers, and arms, and finally all
his wardrobe, was put in that room, with
much care, as a sacred thing, and of the gods,
soliciting the king who came to reign to acquire
[more]: and so they were there as a treasure of
the city and for the grandeur of it.

"At the same time there was in this room a
great quantity of piles of very rich cotton
cloths and women's finery; there were hanging
on the walls a great number of shields and
arms, and devices of rich workmanship and
colors; there were many piles of vessels of gold,
dishes and porringers made according to their
style, from which the kings ate, especially four
large dishes made like platters, all of gold, very
elaborately worked, as big as a large shield,
and they were so filled with dust that one
understood that many days had passed in
which they had not been in service. There
were many gold chocolate cups, made and
decorated in the same manner of those of the
gourds, used for drinking cacao, some with
feet and others without; there were in the
corners of the room many stones for working
all manner of precious stones; in fine, there was
in this room the greatest riches ever seen, so
that the Spaniards were surprised and mar-
velled [at it], giving notice to the Marquis
and carrying the gold dishes that he might
see the great riches that were there, and running
to see the room; and seeing so much handsome-
ness and beauty, and that they had already

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

45

that which they desired, he ordered that under

penalty of [loss of] life, that no one should

dare to go near there, and then he sealed up

the room as it had been, and placed guards

that they should guard it in the name of His

Majesty, for there was there the better, and the

part of his fifths; and so they placed guards

and then closed the room as it had been, so

that no one should dare to go there."19

Other details are given by Bernal Diaz,

and we quote what he says about this secret

chamber. He writes that, searching for a

convenient place to set up an altar in the

quarters where they were established —

" two of our soldiers, one of whom was a car-

penter, named Alonso Yanes, noticed on one

of the walls marks showing that there had been

a door there, and that it had been closed up and

carefully plastered over and burnished. Now,

as there was a rumor and we had heard the

story that Montezuma kept the treasure of his
father Axayaca in that building, it was sus-

pected that it might be in this chamber which

had been closed up and cemented only a few

days before. Yanes spoke about it to Juan

Velasquez de Leon and Francisco de Lugo,

who were captains and relations of mine, and

Alonso Yanes had attached himself to their

company as a servant, and those captains

told the story to Cortes, and the door was

secretly opened. When it was open Cortes

and some of his captains went in first, and they

AND MONOGRAPHS.

46

GOLDSMITH'S ART

saw such a number of jewels and slabs and plates

of gold and chalchihuites and other great

riches, that they were quite carried away and

did not know what to say about such wealth.

The news soon spread among all the other

captains and soldiers, and very secretly we

went in to see it. When I saw it, I marveled.

and as at that time I was a youth and had

never seen such riches as those in my life before,

I took it for certain that there could not be

another such store of wealth in the whole

world. It was decided by all our captains and

soldiers that we should not dream of touching

a particle of it, but that the stones should

immediately be put back in the doorway and

it should be sealed up and cemented just as we

found it, and that it should not be spoken

about, lest it should reach Montezuma's ears,

until times should alter."20

Andres de Tapia, one of the most impor-

tant of the captains of Cortes, gives the

credit of the discovery of this secret chamber

to Cortes, for he writes:

"The Marquis, after he had rested a little,

the day that he arrived, exercising the care that

he had for his life and of his company, went

passing around in his chamber, and saw a door

that appeared to have been recently closed with

stone and mortar; and he had it opened, and

entered through it, and found a great number

of chambers, and in some of them considerable

quantity of gold in jewels and idols, and many

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 47

feathers; of these many things were well worth
seeing; and having entered with two of his serv-
ants, he turned and went out without taking
anything whatever."21

That Montezuma kept watch over the
movements of the Spaniards, and knew
about their discovery of the secret chamber
with its hoard of gold, is indicated by Bernal
Diaz, who later quotes Montezuma as say-
ing, when about to give up to Cortes this
treasure and that which he had collected
from different parts of his domain at the
"request" of the conqueror, "I know well
enough that as soon as you came here you
opened the chamber and beheld it all, and
that you sealed it up again as it was before."25

None of the gold specimens of this great
loot are now known to exist, and undoubt-
edly none ultimately escaped the melting-
pot. Many estimates as to its intrinsic
value have been made, and we will not dis-
cuss here the problem of the present-day
equivalents of the various terms used by
those who drew up the inventories to express
the value of the spoil. Prescott makes the
amount $6,300,000.23 Probably the esti-

AND MONOGRAPHS

I. N. M. — 2

48

GOLDSMITH'S ART

mate of the Mexican historian Jose Fer-

nando Ramirez is nearest the truth; he

places the value at about $3,500,000.24 Let

us turn again to Bernal Diaz for information

concerning it. He writes:

"After some more polite conversation, Mon-

tezuma at once sent his mayordomo to hand

over all this treasure and gold and wealth that
were in the plastered chamber, and in looking it

over and taking off all the embroidery with

which it was set, we were occupied for three

days, and to assist us in undoing it and taking

it to pieces, there came Montezuma's gold-

smiths from the town named Azcapotzalco, and

I say that there was so much, that after it was

taken to pieces there were three heaps of gold,

and they weighed more than six hundred thou-

sand pesos, as I shall tell further on, without the

silver and many other rich things, and not

counting the ingots and slabs of gold, and the

gold in grains from the mines. We began to

melt it down with the help of the natives of

Azcapotzalco, and they made broad bars of it,

each bar measuring three fingers of the hand

across. When it was already melted and made

into bars, they brought another present sepa-

rately, which the grand Montezuma had said

that he would give, and it was a wonderful thing

to behold, for some of the chalchihuites were so

fine that among these caciques they were worth

a vast quantity of gold. . . . Let me say

that all the gold I have spoken about was

marked with an iron stamp, which had been

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 49

made by order of Cortes and the King's officers,
who had been appointed by Cortes with the
consent of all of us and in the name of His
Majesty until he should give other instructions.
At that time these were Gonzalo Mejia, who
was treasurer, and Alonso Davila who was ac-
countant, and the stamp was the royal arms like
those on a real and the size of a testoon [a half
peso]. The mark was not put on the rich jew-
els, which it did not seem to us should be taken
to pieces. For weighing all these bars of gold
and silver, and the jewels which were not taken
to pieces, we had neither marked weights nor
scales, and it seemed to Cortes and to these same
officers of His Majesty's treasury that it would be
as well to make some iron weights, some as
much as an arroba [twenty-five pounds], others
of half an arroba, two pounds, one pound, and
half a pound, and of four ounces, and so many
ounces, and this not that it would turn out
very exact, but within half an ounce more or less
in each lot that was weighed.

"After the weight was taken, the officers of
the king said that there was of gold, both that
which was cast in bars as well as grains from the.
mines, and in ingots and jewels, more than six
hundred thousand pesos, and this was without
counting the silver and other jewels which were
not yet valued. ... At that time many
of our captains ordered very large golden chains
made by the great Montezuma's goldsmiths
Cortes, too, ordered many jewels
made, and a great service of plate. Some of
our soldiers had their hands so full that many
ingots of gold, marked and unmarked, and jew-

AND MONOGRAPHS

50 GOLDSMITH'S ART

e's of a great diversity of patterns, were openly

in circulation. So this was the condition we

were in; but let us stop talking of the gold and

of the bad way it was divided, and worse way

in which it was spent."25

We will now quote what the commander,

Cortes, writes about the spoil:

"This decision and offer of the said lords, for

the royal service of Your Majesty having been

completed, I spoke to Montezuma one day, and

told him that Your Highness was in need of

gold, on account of certain works ordered to be

made, and I besought him to send some of his

people, and I would also send some Spaniards,

to the provinces and houses of those lords who

had there submitted themselves, to pray them

to assist Your Majesty with some part of what

they had. Besides Your Highnesses' need,

this would testify that they began to render

service, and Your Highness would the more

esteem their good will toward your service; and

I told him that he should also give me from his

treasures, as I wished to send them to Your

Majesty, as I had done with the other things.

He asked me afterward to choose the Spaniards

whom I wished to send, and two by two, and

five by five, he distributed them through many

provinces and cities, whose names I do not re-

member, as the papers have been lost, and also

because they were many and divers; and more-

over some of them were at eighty and one hun-

dred leagues from the said great city of Temix-

titan. He sent some of his people with them,

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT 51

ordering them to go to the lords of those prov-
inces and cities, and tell them that I had com-
manded each one of them to contribute a cer-
tain measure of gold which he gave them.
Thus it was done, and all these lords to whom he
sent gave very compliantly, as had been asked,
not only in valuables, but also in bars and sheets
of gold, besides all the jewels of gold, and silver,
and the feather-work, and the stones, and the
many other things of value which I assigned and
allotted to Your Sacred Majesty, amounting to
the sum of one hundred thousand ducats and
more. These, besides their value, are such, and
so marvelous, that for the sake of their novelty
and strangeness they have no price, nor is it
probable that all the princes ever heard of in
the world possess such treasures. Let not what
I say appear fabulous to Your Majesty, because,
in truth, all the things created on land, as well
as in the sea, of which Montezuma had ever
heard, were imitated in gold, most naturally,
as well as in silver, and in precious stones, and
feather-work, with such perfection that they
seemed almost real. He gave me a large num-
ber of these for Your Highness, besides others
he ordered to be made in gold, for which I
furnished him the designs, such images, cruci-
fixes, medals, jewelry of small value, and many
other things which I made them copy. In the
same manner Your Highness obtained, as the
one-fifth of the silver which was received, one
hundred and odd marks, which I made the na-
tives cast in large and small plates, porringers,
cups, and spoons, which they executed as per-
fectly as we could make them comprehend.

AND MONOGRAPHS

52

GOLDSMITH'S ART

"Besides these, Montezuma gave me a large

quantity of stuff, which, considering it was cot-

ton and not silk, was such that there could not

be woven anything similar in the whole world

for texture, colors, and handiwork. Amongst

these, there were many marvelous dresses for

men and women, bed clothing with which that

made of silk could not be compared, and other

stuffs, such as tapestry, suitable for drawing-

rooms and churches. There were also blankets

and rugs, for beds, both made of feather-work

and of cotton in divers colors, also very marvel-

ous, and many other things so curious and nu-

merous I do not know how to specify them to

Your Majesty. He also gave me a dozen cer-

batanas (blow guns) with which he shoots, and

of their perfection I likewise know not what to

say to Your Highness; for they were decorated

with very excellent paintings of perfect hues, in

which there were figures of many different kinds

of birds, animals, trees, flowers, and divers other

objects, and the mouth-pieces and extremities

were bordered with gold, a span deep, as was

also the middle, all beautifully worked. He

gave me a pouch of gold network for the ball,

which he told me he would also give me of gold.

He gave me also some turquoises of [set in] gold ,

and many other things, whose number is almost

infinite."26

But the Spaniards were not to receive the

full benefit of all this plunder. On the con-

trary, its possession was to be the cause of

the loss of many lives. After the uprising

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

53

of the Indians subsequent to the imprison-

ment and death of Montezuma, Cortes saw

that he could no longer retain in safety to

himself and followers the capital city.

Again let Bernal Diaz tell the story of the

preparations made for the retreat :

"In order to bring out the gold and divide it

up and carry it, Cortes ordered his steward,

name Cristobal de Guzman, and other soldiers

who were his servants, to bring out all the gold

and jewels and silver, and he gave them many

Tlaxcalan Indians for the purpose, and they

placed it in the Hall. Then Cortes told the

King's officers named Alonso Davila and Gon-

zalo Mejia, to take charge of the gold belonging

to the His Majesty, and he gave them seven

wounded and lame horses and one mare, and

many friendly Tlaxcalans, more than eighty in
number, and they loaded them with parcels of

it, as many as they could carry, for it was put

up into very broad ingots, as I have already

said in the chapter that treats of it, and much

gold still remained in the Hall piled up in heaps.

Then Cortes called his secretary and the others

who were King's notaries, and said, 'Bear wit-

ness for me that I can do no more with this gold.

We have here in this apartment and Hall over

seven hundred thousand pesos in gold, and, as

you have seen, it cannot be weighed nor placed

in safety. I now give it up to any of the sol-

diers who care to take it, otherwise it will be

lost among these dogs [of Mexicans].' When

AND MONOGRAPHS

54

GOLDSMITH'S ART

they heard this, many of the soldiers of Narvaez

and some of our people loaded themselves with

it."27

The great fight between the Spaniards

and the Mexicans took place at the bridges

placed by the Spaniards over the canals,

and Bernal Diaz says that "the passage or

water opening was soon filled up with dead

horses, Indian men and women, servants,

baggage, and boxes." His estimate of the

number of men lost in five days' fighting is

eight hundred and sixty soldiers, and more

than one thousand Tlaxcalan Indians. He

remarks that "if many more of the followers

of Narvaez than those of Cortes died at the

bridges, it was because they went forth

laden with gold, and owing to its weight

they could neither escape nor swim."

Duran makes the statement that Cortes

lost "seven hundred men, whom the Indi-

ans hacked to pieces without any mercy,

those canals remaining filled with dead men,

horses, and Indian men and women without

number, and filled with the gold and jewels

which these badly risked [people] had car-

ried, and of mantles, feathers, and all kind

INDIAN NOTES

SPANISH LOOT

55

of riches."28 Cervantes de Salazar, in com-
menting on the losses suffered by the Span-
iards on this night, June 13, 1520, and still
known as the "Noche Triste," says that
there were many estimates as to the number
of lives lost, but his estimate, which he says
is the nearest the truth, is six hundred
Spaniards, four thousand Indian allies, allj
their prisoners, and forty-six horses.29

We are in ignorance as to how much of
the great treasure was lost at this time.
Cortes says that "all the gold and jewels and
many other things which we carried, and
all the artillery, were lost;" but Bernal Diaz
says, "The horses with the gold and the
Tlaxcalans got out in safety." Cortes
speaks of much treasure belonging not only
to the King but to himself that had to be
abandoned in the city, and also states that
some of the loot left behind which certain of
his followers later tried to take to Vera Cruz,
was captured on the road.

We are fortunate in having had published
during recent years several of the lists
drawn up and certified to, which accompa-
nied this and other treasure sent by Cortes

AND MONOGRAPHS

56

GOLDSMITH'S ART

to Spain during the years from 1520 to

1526. We herewith append translations of

eight of these inventories which have come

to light in the archives of Spain.30 They are

interesting as giving some slight description

and as conveying some information regard-

ing the character of the very few gold jewels

and other precious objects which were' not

torn to pieces by the Spaniards in order to

get out the gold for melting.

INVENTORIES

REPORT OF THE FEATHER-WORK AND JEWELS

SENT TO SPAIN TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE

FOLLOWING CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES AND

SPECIAL PERSONS. (Without date.)

(Archives of the Indies, Patronato, Cabinet 1,

Box 1.)

First Box

For Our Lady of Guadalupe

First, a [piece of] feather- work like a cape, the
center green and the border of long green plumes,
the neck part worked with gold and blue feath-

ers, lined with a tiger-skin.

Item: a cosele (corselete, corselet?) of blue

feathers and gold, open at the breast, like those

used in sacrificial ceremonies, as customary

here, with the girdle of green feathers.

Item: a shield, with a field of blue, with a

man figured in the center wrought of gold.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

57

For the Monasterio de las Cuevas de Sevilla

A [piece] of feather-work of red feathers, the

center and the neck part blue and red, with some

gold, and in the field are strewn some ears of

corn, with the border of green feathers and gold.

Item: a red shield with a blue field, and in

the middle a head of gold from which emanates

shining lights.

For Our Lady of the Antigua of the City

of Sevilla

A [piece of] feather-work like the half of a

chasuble, the center and the border green, and

the collar green with some colored figures in it.

Item: a vestment for the body and legs of

yellow feathers with the girdle green and in the

center of the said vestment some red spots, and
strewn all over with embroidery of gold.

Item: a shield, the field blue, with a man

figured in the center, of gold and feathers, and

the border yellow.

Item: also, a small hood, green and yellow,

[shaped] like the little hood of a gold cape.

For the Chapel of Sant Elifonso of the

Principal Church of Toledo

A [piece of] feather- work, fashioned like one-

half of a chasuble, the field green, the border

yellow, and with the head-piece of green feath-

ers and gold.

Item: a shield, blue and green, and in the

center an arrow of gold and feathers.

Item: a fan, green and red, with some green

and yellow flowers, and some gold embroidery.

AND MONOGRAPHS

58

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Item: another fan, brown and round, [made]

of turkey-feathers, with some gold.
Item: another small cape like the hood of a

choir cape, the field and border blue, [with]

some buttons worked from gold at the ends

around it.

For the Crucificio of Burgos

A [piece of] feather- work of long green feath-

ers, the center and border of red and green

feathers.

Item: a shield, the field blue, with a man fig-

ured in the center of plumes of gold.

Item: a fan of green and orange feathers,

with some embroidery.

Item: a duck made of green feathers and

some gold.

For Santo Tomas de Avila

A feather-piece made like a half chasuble,

the field green, of long feathers, and the border

red, with some small blue buttons at the end.

Item: a shield, the field blue, and [the image

of] a man [made] of feathers and gold figured

on it.

Item: a fan of green feathers, with ten small

gold quills.

Item: a cord for the hair, which consists of

two small pieces of feather-work of green and

red feathers tied together, with some small

gold quills.

For San Francisco de Cibdad de Real

A feather-piece fashioned like a half chasu-

ble, one half of red feathers, the other half of

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

59

long green feathers, and the border of red feath-

ers, with some colored bands on the neck part,

and some moons of gold.

Item: a shield, the field green, with a serpent

of gold in the center.

Item: a cord, that is to say, two small pieces

of plumage of green feathers tied together, with

some fore-feet of the tiger, with claws of gold.

For the Monastery of the Order of San Geronimo

A feather-piece like a half chasuble, the field

red and the border green, the neck part of gold

and blue, with certain gold embroidery.

Item: a shield, the field blue, with a serpent

of gold and red feathers in the middle.

Item: two red birds with green tails, of

feathers.

For the Monastery of San Francisco de la Villa

de Medellin

A feather-piece made like a half chasuble, the

field red and the border of long green feathers,

the neck part made of gold and green feathers.

Item: an eagle with the tail green, with cer-

tain gold- work on it, and a gold mirror in the

middle.

Item: a fan of green feathers with gold em-

broidery, and a cn-co (caterpillar) of gold in the

center.

Item: two birds of green feathers with beaks

of gold.

Item: a corselet, a man's vestment of red

feathers, the girdle of green feathers, with em-

broidery of gold strewn all over it.

AND MONOGRAPHS

60

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Item: a green branch.

Item: a shield with the head of a monster

in the middle, of gold.

Item: another shield with the field blue,

with some bars of gold, and some [ornaments]

like gold snail-shells close to it.

Item: three cords of green feathers, that is,

six small pieces of feather-work tied together in
pairs, which are mounted on the feet of golden

eagles.

Item: a fan of tortoise shell.

For Santa Clara de Tordesillas

Two feather-pieces of feathers and gold, one

with certain long green feathers.

Item: a shield, the field blue, with a serpent

of gold and red feathers in the center.

For San Salvador de Oviedo

A piece of feather-work of long green feathers,

with the border red, and the neck part of green

feathers and gold.

Item: a shield, the field green, with a mon-

ster, the body [of which is] of gold, and the face

has some loops, and around the head are some

scallops of gold.

For Senor Santiago de Galicia

A large feather-piece, green and round, with

a large wheel of gold in the center.

Item: a shield having in the middle an arm

with two monsters of gold, the arm being of

feathers and gold embroidery.

Item: another shield, the field blue, with

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

61

three plumes of gold, and at the top some flow-

ers of gold plumes.

Item: a crest (head-piece) of green and red

feathers which are tied together.

Item: another larger feather-piece, green

and red, and [withj two plates of gold on both

sides.

Item: another feather-piece, like a hood, the

field green, with the border of some loops of

gold.

For Our Lady of the Portal de Toro

A feather-piece like a mozetta made of some

bands of different colors, and gold embroidery,

and the neck part of gold and blue.
Item: a shield, the field red, and in the cen-

ter a monster of gold and feathers.

Item: a cord of two small green feather-

pieces, tied with gold.

For the Lord Bishop of Burgos

A cape like a mozclta, the field blue, of thick

gold embroidery, and the collar elaborately

trimmed with colored feathers, and the border

white.

Item: one [cape] something like a green

hood: this collar is elaborately trimmed with

designs and colors of feathers and gold, and

on the border are monsters embroidered in

feathers.

Item: four shields, one of a monster of many

colors and gold, with the field blue; the other,

the field green worked in blue and gold, with a

ruby in the center; the other with the field blue,

AND MONOGRAPHS

62

GOLDSMITH'S ART

I

and two wheels of gold in the center, and a

monster in one of the wheels; the other, the field

blue, with four snail-shells of gold on it, and two

gold bands.

Item: a parrot worked in feathers lying (or

resting) on some herbs (or twigs?), with a gold

beak.

Item: a parrot worked in feathers, perched

(or sitting) on grass.

Item: a large cicada of feathers, that is made

after the manner of betales (veined?).

Item: a feather-piece of a timer a (crest of a

helmet or coat of arms), with some long green

feathers, and some gold quills that appear like

a sprig or vine.

Item: something like a staff (crosier?) cf

stone mosaic-work of many colors, for him (the

Bishop).

For the Lord Cardinal cf Tortosa

Item: two shields, one, the field yellow, with

a large cicada of gold and blue feathers in the

middle; the other, the field blue and green, with

a golden sun and other fancy designs on it.

For the Lord Admiral of Castilla

Item: three shields, one the field green with

some serpents of gold and blue in the center;

the other, the field green with the head of an

owl in the middle; the other, the field red with

some fancy work of gold.

For the Lord Constable of Castilla

Item: three shields, one, with half of the

field blue, with some moons and bars of gold,

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

63

the other half red, without feathers, and with
two half- wheels of gold; the other two, with
some serpents of gold and fields of blue feathers.

For the Lord Bishop of Palencia, Don Pedro
Ruiz de la Mota

Item: three shields, one [with] the field red,
with a monster of gold and feathers; another,
the field green, with a serpent of gold and blue
in the center; the other, the field blue, with a
red butterfly of gold.

For Don Garcia de Padilla

Item: three shields, one, the field yellow and
red, with four heads of monsters of gold and
feathers, and a green band in the center; an-
other, the field green, with a serpent of gold and
blue in the middle; the other, the field red, with
a large bee of gold and feathers in the center.

For the Licentiate Zapata

Item: two shields, one, the field blue, with a
monster of gold and feathers in the center; the
other, the field green, with a serpent of gold
and blue in the center.

For the Secretary Cobos

Item: three shields, one, the field blue, with
a monster of gold and feathers in the center;
another, the field green, with a serpent of gold;
the other, the field white, with a loop (or bow)
and feathers, and some scallops of gold.

AND MONOGRAPHS

1. N. M. — 2

64

GOLDSMITH'S ART

For the Lord Knight Hernando de Vega

Item: two shields, one, the field blue, and an

eagle of feathers in the center, with the feet and
beak of gold, and a snake in the golden 'beak;
the other, the field blue, and a serpent of gold
and red feathers.

For the Licentiate Polanco

Item: two [three] shields, one, the field blue
and a serpent in the center, and the center is
[made] of red feathers; another, the field green,
and another serpent of gold and blue; the other,
the field blue, and a serpent of red feathers and
gold in the center.
[See Note 110, page 224.]

For the Secretary Juan de Samano

Item: a shield, the field blue, and a red ser-
pent of gold and blue, for the Secretary Juan de
Samano.

For Pedro Martin

Item: a shield, the field blue, and a red ser-
pent of gold in the center.

For the Licentiate Santiago

Item: a shield, the field red, and in the cen-
ter a gold wheel with a serpent's mouth above.

For Don Luis Pacheco

Item: three shields, one, the field blue, and
[with] four snail-shells of gold in the middle,
and two bands of gold in the center; another,

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

65

the field blue, and the leg of a golden eagle in
the middle; the other, the field red, and a serpent
of gold and blue; this [latter] is for Don Diego
Pacheco, his son.

For the Lord Duke of Alba

Item: two shields, one, the field green and
red, with three birds worked in gold and feath-
ers; the other, the field red, and a serpent of
gold and feathers; the other, the field red, and a
serpent of gold and blue in the center.

For Senor Antonio de Fonseca

Item: two shields, one, the field red, and a
head of a, monster of gold and feathers in the
center; the other, the field red, with a serpent of
gold and blue in the center.

For Doctor Carbajal

Two shields, one, the field green, with a mon-
ster of blue and of gold; the other, the field blue,
and a red and gold serpent in the center.

For Mingoval, Master of the Horse

Two shields, one, the field red, with a serpent
of gold and blue; the other, the field 'blue, with
some branches of gold like a loop (or bow).

For the Chief Steward Mosiu de Urre

Two shields, one, the field blue, with a serpent
of gold and red feathers in the center; the other,
the field yellow, with a cicada of gold and red
feathers.

AND MONOGRAPHS

66 GOLDSMITH'S ART

For the Governor Baeza

Two shields, one, the field blue, with a ser-

pent of gold and red feathers in the middle; the

other, the field red, and a large cicada of gold

and blue in the center.

For the Count de Medellin

Two shields, one square, the field blue, with

a red band in the middle, and a loop (or bow)

of gold; the other, the field red, with a serpent

of gold and blue in the center, and also' two

4

feather birds, the body red and the wings green;

and also two round feather fans.

For Don Juan Puerto-Carrero, grandson of the

Count de Medellin

Two shields, one, the field yellow, with a

wheel of gold and feathers in the middle; the

other, the field without feathers, and some

bands of blue feathers and some stripes of gold;

furthermore, a little hood of colors of snakes.

Fernando Cortes.

Note: This document does not give the date

in which it was made, but it must have been in

the first years of the conquest of New Spain,

from what appears in the report.

REPORT OF THE OBJECTS OF GOLD THAT ARE

PACKED IN A Box FOR His MAJESTY WHICH

ARE SENT IN CARE OF DIEGO DE SOTO. (With-

out date.)

(Archives of the Indies, Patronato, Shelf l,Box 1.)

A tiro (cast ?) called Fenix, of silver weighing

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

67

twenty-two and one-half quintal when it was

placed in the melting pot.

First

A mirror with two figures.

A mirror with a figure of guaxteca[?].

A guaxteca[?] mirror with a crystal in the

narices (nostrils).

A round mirror like a sun.

A large round mirror.

A mirror with the head of a lion.

A mirror with the figure of an owl, with some

chalchihuites.

A mirror with a ease of knife stone (obsidian

or flint).

Two carnicles[?] with their pendants, and a

tree on them with a little bird.

A necklace with ten bollones (large nails

with large heads).

A similar necklace of twenty-two pieces, with

their pendants.

Another necklace with some round hawk-

bells.

A necklace with eighteen large pieces, of the

form of the head of an eagle, with their pendants.

A small necklace of doubled pieces with their

pendants.

A necklace of turtles, forty-eight pieces with

their pendants.

A necklace with eight beads and ten weights

like turtles, with a man.

A necklace of eight pieces with their pendants.

A necklace like turtle-shells of fifteen pieces

with their pendants.

AND MONOGRAPHS

68 GOLDSMITH'S ART

A necklace of snail-shells of fifteen pieces
with pendants.

A necklace of- snail-shells of forty pieces
without pendants.

A necklace with nine pieces like the heads
of men, with their pendants.

A necklace of small snail-shells 'of eighteen
pieces.

A necklace with nine round beads and eight
eye-teeth of lizards.

A necklace with twenty-seven large cicadas
with their pendants.

A necklace of snail-shells of twenty-nine
pieces without pendants.

A large necklace like a gorget of gold.

A large disc of gold with a monster of the
figure of a man.

Another disc of gold of the same kind.

Two gold flutes.

Three rosettes of gold like artichokes.

Another rosette of gold with six leaves (pet-
als) and six gold beads.

A rosette of gold also with six leaves, three
of silver, the other three of gold.

A piece of chalchihuite like a bell set in gold
with a small bird and a large cicada.

A flower of chalchihuite set in gold and on it
a little tree.

A turtle of gold set in a chalchihuite.

A head of gold with the face of chalchihuite,
and a necklace of small snail-shells of silver.

Three pieces of the same kind set in chalchi-
huites, and with other large chalchihuites with
settings of gold at the end.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

69

A large piece like a pyx with a large chalchi-
huite in the middle.

A shield of gold with a banneret and three
rods fastened on the back with their flints.

A head of chalchihuite with eleven strings of
chalchihuites: at the end of each one a snail-
shell of gold.

A head of gold, with the face of greenstone with
its ear ornaments, and very small snail-shells.

A head of green and white stone, with a small
tube of gold through the nose.

A head of an animal set in gold, with many
pendants.

A head of greenstone set in gold, with ears
of snakes, and some very small snail-shells at
the end.

A stone head which looks like porjlrlo (por-
phyry), set in gold with four small emeralds.

A green head set in gold, with its hair tied
by a cord, and small gold ears.

A head, also looking like porfirio, set in gold
with a garland of gold, and having on the fore-
head a snake's head.

A head of greenstone set in gold, which has
in the hair a gold twist.

A head of chalchihuite, that looks like pcr-
ft-rio, wide, and having for ear ornaments two
little bells with two butterflies, and some little
hawk-bells at the end.

A similar piece with different ear ornaments.

A death's head of gold.

A head of greenstone set in gold, with plumes
of gold hanging [down].

A head, one half of gold, and one half of
greenstone, with the mouth of a snake.

AND MONOGRAPHS

70

GOLDSMITH'S ART

A head of gold and greenstone.

A head of greenstone set in gold, with mouth
and chin of gold.

A head of greenstone set in gold, with gold
flowers at the end of the pendants; sixteen heads
of monsters differing one from the other, of gold.

Two monsters of gold made [in the shape of]
ducks.

A cerni [cemi, zemi] of gold with a stone in
the belly and four pendants.

An eagle of gold with four hawk-bells in the
tail.

Two small discs with their monsters.

A disc with a monster and eight pendants.

A large stone set in gold, and a flower of
silver and gold.

Fourteen medals with pendants and without
them, all with their greenstones.

A purple shell with a green chalchihuite in
the center set in gold.

A piece of gold with five hearts and a round
greenstone, and another long one set in gold.

A stone flower set in gold with a border of gold.

A gold flower with six leaves and a green-
stone in the middle.

A greenstone set in gold and on the bottom
a turquoise.

Three little flowers of gold and greenstones,
one with two beads and the other with a cross.

A large flower of three leaves having inside
five other leaves that move.

Five butterflies, three of gold and stone, and
two of red and green shell.

Two alcarrazas (porous jars generally with
two handles) of gold, with their pendants.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES 71

A head of averramia of gold, with its pendants.
Seventeen pieces of medals with their green-

stones, some with pendants, others without.

Sixteen red shells set in gold.

Two white snail-shells with greenstones tied

with gold thread.

Three flowers of land snail-shells set in gold.

Eight spindles with their whorls and a spinner

which carries the spindle, all of gold.

Nine gold spoons.

A spoon of silver and gold.

A little duck of gold coming out of a stone.

A face of gold with the features of stone

mosaic.

Three gold tigers.

Sixty-nine gold beads and six chalchihuites

and a tiger of gold, all on a bead-string.

A rosary with seventy-seven beads and a

rosette of gold.

Eighteen leathers of eagle-claws of silver and

gold ; there are in all sixty eagle-claws.

Three armlets of points made of gold.

Six bracelets for the arms, made of gold.

Fifteen strands in a necklace of beads, green

and of gold, and hawk-bells.

An armlet of claws and fingers of gold.

A face of tiger-skin with two ear ornaments

of gold and stone mosaic.

A necklace for a grayhound, of turquoise.

Six lip ornaments of gold which they put in
the lips.

A lip ornament of amber adorned with gold.

A lip ornament of gold of the same workman-

ship as that of amber.

AND MONOGRAPHS

72

•GOLDSMITH'S ART

A lip ornament of silver and gold with chal-

chihuite.

A large lip ornament of gold.
Two hair switches of medals of gold and many

chalchihuites of greenstones, the hair being

white.

A lizard of gold with a little chain of gold.

Two large lizards of gold.

STATEMENT OF PIECES, JEWELS, AND FEATHER-

WORK SENT FROM NEW SPAIN FOR HlS MAJ-

. ESTY, AND THAT REMAINED IN THE AZORES

IN THE CHARGE OF ALONSO DAVILA AND AN-

TONIO QuiNONES.31 (Without date.)

(Archives of the Indies , Patronato, Shelf 1,

Box 1.)

Statement of the pieces, jewels, and feather-work

thai are sent to Their Majesties in the following

boxes.

First box in which go:

A feather-piece of rich feathers, the field

blue and the border green, and in the field cer-

tain colored feathers and bands, with a lined

tiger-skin.

Another feather-piece, the center blue and

with, stone mosaic- work, with other colored

feathers, the border of green feathers, and lined

with a tiger-skin.

Item: another feather-piece of the same

kind as the other.

Item: Another feather-piece with some gold

streamers, and the field red, the border green,

lined with a tiger-skin.

Item: another green feather-piece, the field

INDIAN NOTES

\
INVENTORIES

73

red and some bands of divers colors and the

border green.

Item: another feather-piece, the field green

of minute feathers, and the border green and

the neck part adorned with much fancy work

of gold and feathers.

Item: another feather-piece of the same

kind, except that the feathers of the field are

longer.

Item : two feather-pieces like mosaics, one, the

field green worked with gold; and the other, the

field blue, also worked in the same manner

with gold, and the border of both of long green

feathers with much fancy work on them.

Item: two green feather-pieces, cimeras (hel-

mets) with gold embroidery-work in the center,

and along the neck part, among which fancy

work there are blue feathers.

Item: two others of the same kind as those

above.

Item: two others of the same kind.

Item: another of the same kind.

Item: another mozetla embroidered with

feathers of various colors and gold embroidery.

Item: another helmet (cimera) of feathers,

green, red, blue, and flesh-colored, worked with

gold embroidery, with a medal of gold on the

front, with certain hair placed on it.

Item: a branch made of feathers, with some

clusters or streamers extending from it.

Item: a poma .-(a box or container in the

shape of an apple, for perfumes or incense) of

green feathers with gold embroidery.

Item: another poma of colored feathers

without embroidery.

AND MONOGRAPHS

74 GOLDSMITH'S ART

Item: a cornstalk with its ears.

Item: a thistle made of green feathers.

Item: another leaf of thistle.

Item: a plumage with its socket (base).

Item: an eagle with the beak and wings of

gold and feathers.

Item: a small crest (headpiece) with a wheel

like a star with gold embroidery.

Item: a cord for the hair, which are two

small feather-pieces with two birds, with gold

embroidery.

Item: a small hood, the field red and the bor-

der blue.

f Item: a poma, green, blue, and other colors,

with gold embroidery.

Item: another feather-piece of large size,

like a cape, with the field green, the border of

many-colored feathers with its buttons around

it, and lined with a tiger-skin.

Item: a helmet with the beak of an eagle, in

gold, worked with diverse fancy-work, with gold

embroidery, the field of blue feathers and the

rest of long green feathers.

Item: a mozetfa, the field green, worked

with gold, and long green feathers on the border.

Second box in which go:

Seventy-two shields, worked in green feath-

ers as well as other colors, with many monsters

and divers other things, made of gold in a

strange manner.

Item : also a helmet of red feathers with gold

embroidery, at the top of which is a green

feather.

Item: also two branches of green feathers

t

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

and gold with some little hawk-bells, and above
the top of them is a feather and gold.

Item: also another small plumage with base
(or socket) of feathers at the end.

Small square box in which goes:

A shield with blue stone mosaic with its rim
of gold.

Item: there also goes with the said shield,
a corselet of gold armor, like a confas[?}, with
teats like a woman, with the nipples blue, and
the skirt with blue bands.

Item: another corselet of the same kind,
without teats, but showing on the breasts sac-
rificial markings, such as in sacrifices performed
here.

Item: another of the same kind, with hands
and sacrificial marks on the breasts.

Item: another small corselet, lacking the
skirt, likewise all of gold.

Another small box in which goes:

A shield of stone mosaic-work, with a rim of
blue and red feathers.

Item: there also goes in the said box, a
corselet of the same kind as those in the
above box.

Item: another corselet of the same kind,
with a green band on the skirt.

Another small box in which goes:

A shield of stone mosaic-work, the casco
(crown) of feathers and the clasps of gold, and
on the rim some long green feathers.

AND MONOGRAPHS

76

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Another round box lined with deerskin.

A shield of stone mosaic-work and confas
(shells?), with some pendants on the rim, of
large and small gold bells.

Another small square box.

Six shields of gold with their clasps and all,
and two other shields of gold and silver that
make altogether eight.

Another small square box in which go:

Eighteen shields of gilded silver, that make
altogether twenty.
Item: two more masks and an arrow of gold.

REPORT OF THE THINGS CARRIED BY DIEGO
DEL SOTO FROM THE GOVERNOR IN ADDITION
TO WHAT HE CARRIES LlSTED IN A NOTE-
BOOK OF CERTAIN SHEETS OF PAPER FOR
His MAJESTY. (Without date.)
(Archives of the Indies, Patronato, Shelf 1,
Box 1.)

There go in a large wide box made in the
Indies, the following:
A large shield with some moons of stone
mosaic-work and with much gold.
Another shield with the image of a man in
gold, whose breasts have been cut open for sac-
rifice, a gush of blood emanating from these
sacrificial cuts; some scallop-shells of silver.
Another shield of gold and feathers repre-
senting the same thing as the one above.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

77

Another shield of blue feathers with a ser-

pent of gold in the center.

Another shield of red feathers, with a cerco

(rim or border) of imagery of gold, and in the

center a disc of gold, also of imagery.

Another shield of feathers, red and green,

with some butterflies and gold embroidery.

Another shield with a blue and green field,

with some stripes, and in the center an eagle

of feathers with the body of gold [marked] like

the shell of a turtle.

Another shield with a blue and red field with

two cercos (rims or hoops) of gold and with a

gold eagle in the center.

Another green shield, made like a vase with

the eyes and spout and rim of gold.

Another shield with a blue and red field; in

the middle is a large plate of gold with six small

gold birds around it.

A green shield with a sphere of colored feath-

ers and gold.

A hat of grayish feathers.

A head crest, the end yellow and red, and the

feathers of the upper part green, and wide, with

much silver embroidery at the ends, and some

gold mulberries.

Another head crest of green feathers with five

feathers and their gold embroidery on each

feather.

Another head crest of green feathers with

their gold embroidery.

Another head crest with its green feathers

and embroidery of gold.

Another head crest with its green feathers

and gold embroidery.

AND MONOGRAPHS

78

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Another head crest like the above one.

Another head crest with many birds of divers

colors and much gold embroidery.

Another head crest with its birds and some

roundlets of platted hair and silver and gold

embroidery.

Another head crest of large green feathers,

with gold quills without embroidery.

Another head crest with bohordo (wands?)

and some butterflies and embroidery of gold.

Another head crest of green feathers with

their gold embroidery and some butterflies.

A fan of green feathers, with some hoops of

gold, and some painted figures of men [the fa-

mous feather mosaic] in the center.

A pbma of yellow and green feathers, with

much gold embroidery, on a bone.

A cimcra (helmet) of green feathers with

some small wheels of gold.

Eighteen pairs of small tufts of green feath-

ers, some with gold embroidery and some with-

out.

A fan with some points of green feathers with

a turtle bone.

Two green birds fastened one to the other.

Four other pairs of head crests and two little

fans of green feathers.

A very large sun of green feathers and in the

center -some rays of gold with a red feather.

Report of that which is placed in two other

boxes.

In one box six rapiers, adorned with gold on

the pommels, hilts, and sheaths.

The case for these rapiers in another box

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

79

and two abitallcs (atabalcs, drums?) and twenty

feather-pieces.

Three shields.

The bird which produces the green feathers.

A golden hat.

The bugle.

-

The stick or staff of gold.

.

The corselet of gold mail.

Two large feather-pieces.

The portiere of figures made in the land.

Three white cloths like damask-cloth.

Three black cloaks.

An image of the kings.

Two stone mosaic-work shields.

Two old corselets.

Five cloths for a bed, like a kind of striped

silk.

Fifteen cloths of colors.

Thirty-six shirts.

Two small shawls of red roses.

Another shirt of roses like the shawls.

REPORT OF THE GOLD, SILVER, JEWELS, AND

OTHER THINGS THAT THE PROCTORS OF NEW

SPAIN CARRY TO His MAJESTY. (YEAR OF

1525.)

(Archives of the Indies, Patronato, Shelf 1, Box 1.)

Very Powerful Caesar. The gold and jewels

and silver and other things which the proctors

of this New Spain of the Atlantic bring to Your

Majesty, of all that is yours pertaining to the

fifth and other rights, is in the following form:

First, thirty thousand pesos of gold in this

form (as follows) :

AND MONOGRAPHS

I. N. M. — 2

80

GOLDSMITH'S

ART

In cast and

marked gold .. 23 * 221 ps.

In six gold shields

that weighed. . . 6 1 010 ps.

In two gold masks f 401 ps.

30$ 000 ps.

In a spear- thrower

of gold like a

staff (bishop's

crozier) ^ 368 ps

So the aforesaid amount to thirty thousand

pesos of gold which the said attorneys bring for

Your Majesty.

Item: by the report that we send to Your

Majesty it will be seen that there

pertained to

Your Highness by the right of casting and mark-
ing, one thousand, two hundred and seventy-four

pesos, three tomins, and four grains of gold, of

which there was given to the silversmiths and

casters, one hundred and seventy-six pesos, six

tomins, and two grains : so that there remain one

thousand and ninety-seven pesos,

five tomins,

and two grains, which the said attorneys carry

to Your Majesty.

Item: One hundred and sixty-three pesos of

fine gold, that was obtained from the sweepings

and re-washings (of the gold) of the foundry.

Low-grade Gold

Likewise they take one hundred and nine

pesos, two tomins, and one grain

of low-grade

gold, that are from one hundred

and twenty-

four pesos, six tomins, and one

grain, which

belonged to Your Highness, by the rights of

casting and marking, because the

fifteen pesos,

INDIAN NOT

ES

INVENTORIES 81

four tomins, that remained, were given to the
said silversmiths and casters.

Item: one hundred and thirty pesos of gold
from the sweepings and relabes of the said
foundry.

The jewels and other things carried to Your
Majesty by the said proctors are these:

A head of a duck, of gold, with a greenstone,
weighing altogether with the gold, three pesos
and four tomins.

Another larger head of a duck of blue stone
mosaic- work and a greenstone, weighing with
the gold thirty-nine pesos, four tomins.

Two small medals of gold with greenstones,
weighing twelve pesos, four tomins.

A flower of stone set in gold like a small bell,
weighing twenty-four pesos, four tomins.

A death's figure of greenstone with certain
pendants of stone set in gold, altogether weigh-
ing twenty-five pesos.

A medal of gold with a greenstone that ap-
pears like the open mouth of an owl, altogether
weighing twenty-two pesos, four tomins.

A crab of greenstone and gold, weight four-
teen pesos.

A greenstone set in gold having two small
gold hands for handles, weighing thirty-eight
pesos, four tomins.

Another greenstone with another stone like
marble protruding from it, set in gold, weighing
twelve pesos.

Another similar stone, weighing with the gold
twenty-six pesos, four tomins.

Another greenstone, perforated, with two

AND MONOGRAPHS

82

GOLDSMITH'S ART

small rings on the back; set in gold, altogether
weighing twenty-six pesos, four tomins.

A head of curly gold, with a face of green-
stones, weighing altogether seventeen pesos, four
tomins.

A head of greenstone, with two ears of green-
stone, with some small pendants, set in gold,
weighing altogether fourteen pesos, four tomins.

A piece of white shell, with a greenstone,
with its pendant of gold at the end [held] with
a gold thread. Not weighed.

Two pieces of gold, such as the natives of
these parts wear in their ears with some red and
blue stones, weighing altogether ten pesos.

A collar of small melons consisting of thirty-
two pieces of greenstones, made so that they
seem to issue from the flower, the flowers and
stalks being of gold, that with the cord on which
they are put, weigh altogether one hundred and
nineteen pesos.

Two bracelets, each one with four eagle's
claws of silver and gold.

Another bracelet with four greenstones set
in gold like the hoof of a stag. Not weighed.

Another bracelet of gold with ten pieces like
azicatcSy and two claws of greenstone set in gold.

An armlet of tiger-skin with four greenstones
and four small bars of gold of little weight.

Three greenstones and beads with three
little quills of gold in them.

A square greenstone set in gold with certain
pendants of greenstones and gold, weighing
altogether thirty-one pesos.

A shell like a iienerica (small scallop-shell) set
in gold with a greenstone in the center.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

83

Another large shell set in gold, with a face
of greenstone, with some blue and yellow little
stones around the neck.

A butterfly of gold with the wings of venera
(scallop-shell), and the body and head of green-
stone.

Another venera set in gold with eyes of an
owl and a greenstone.

Another venera like the above, except that
it has a red beak and blue ears.

Two veneras, one purple and the other yel-
low, each one respectively with greenstones in
the center and other blue ones around it, set in
gold.

Another white venera like a broncha (pon-
iard or jewel) set in gold.

A head of yellow shell, set in gold.

A butterfly of gold without stones, having
some blue and red eyes, weighing eleven pesos.

Another white venera, set in gold, with some
greenstones in the center, the one inserted in
the other.

Another red venera, set in gold.

An eagle of gold with its pendants and a
greenstone in the center, weighing altogether
twelve pesos.

A monster of gold with some greenstone
mosaic-work in the belly, weighing altogether
eleven pesos.

A poniard (or jewel, broncha) of white shell
set in gold, weighing altogether thirty-seven
pesos, five tomins.

A butterfly of shell, of fancy work, set in
gold, weighing altogether eleven pesos, six
tomins.

AND MONOGRAPHS

84

GOLDSMITH'S ART

A head of gold, with a face of chalchihuite,
with some pendants of gold, weighing altogether
six pesos.

Two shields of silver, gilded, without brazales
(attachments for the arm), with some bottones,
weighing altogether seven marks, four ounces.

Eight more plain armlets of gilded silver,
weighing altogether two marks, six ounces.

Item: a gilded copper strip with three ro-
dezicas (little wheels) that are worn on the
head, which weighed [weight not mentioned].

Fourteen more pieces of gilded silver for the
ears, weighing six ounces.

Eighteen shields of low-grade silver, with
some bollones on them, without attachments for
the arms, weighing forty-seven marks, six
ounces.

Item: twenty armlets of low-grade silver,
plain, weighing altogether twenty-three marks,
six ounces.

Also a strip of silver with a little wheel (rodc-
zica) on it, weighing two ounces.

Item: three pairs of shoes, such as they wear.

Item: three pairs of leather collars lined with
colored feathers.

Eight more collars of leather, which seem to
be for grayhounds.

Twenty more brazales of leather which the
natives in these parts wear on the arm for
shooting with bows [wristguards].

Item: eight white armlets of skin.

Twelve white head-crests of feather- work,
and six blue feathers.

Twelve dozen small tumblers of calabashes.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

85

Half a dozen larger ones painted in various
colors.

Half a dozen tufted cotton cloths [may also
be mantles or blankets].

Another half-dozen cloths of a different kind.

Another half-dozen cloths of a different kind
and colors.

Two bracelets of low-grade gold, with some
pieces of black leather.

Two other bracelets of low-grade gold, like
carrancas [?].

Fifteen little birds' heads, with their pend-
ants of low-grade gold, weighing nine pesos,
two tomins.

Five small parrots and nine beads of low-grade
gold, weighing thirty-eight pesos.

Five large lip ornaments, four set in glass
[probably quartz], and the other like a snake;
they are of low-grade gold.

Item: six large garments which can be or are
worn also like mantles, painted, and with gold
embroidery.

Item: six green and white feather-pieces.

Two other feather-pieces with some hands
placed on them.

Two shields of gilded silver with some foliage
(showy ornaments, foliages} weighing one,
twelve marks and four ounces and four reals,
the other, eleven marks, six ounces, altogether
weighing, twenty-four marks, two ounces, and
four reals, which said shields were obtained in
the city of Temistitan, and which captain Her-
nando Cortes and the people with him, together
with the rest of the fifth pertaining to Your
Majesty, render to you.

Hernando Cortes. — Alonso de Grado.

AND MONOGRAPHS

86

GOLDSMITH'S ART

It is the truth that we, Julian Alderete, treas-

urer of His Majesty, and Alonso Davila and

Antonio de Quinones, proctors of the Councils

of New Spain of the [Atlantic] Ocean sea, have

received from Hernando- Cortes, captain-gen-

eral and chief justice in this said New Spain of

the [Atlantic] Ocean sea, for Your Highnesses,

and from Alonso de Grado, paymaster, and Ber-
naldino Vasquez de Tapia, agent of Your

Majesties, the pesos of fine and low-grade gold,

and jewels and pieces of gold, and the other

things of silver, and others, contained in this

report, which we have obligated ourselves to

God carrying us in safety, to give and deliver

to their Highnesses and to their officials of the

House of Commerce of the Indies, that reside

in the city of Sevilla. And because of the things

contained in this said report, we gave four copies

of the same list, be it understood, that one of

them verified, the others shall be considered

void. Executed in Cuyoacan on the 19th of

May, 1522.

Julian Alderete. — Alonso Davila. — •

Alonso de Quinones.

COPY OF THE REGISTER OF THE GOLD, JEWELS,

AND OTHER THINGS WHICH ARE TO GO TO

SPAIN IN THE SHIP SANTA MARIA DE LA

RABIDA, ITS MASTER [BEING] JUAN BAP-

TISTA. (The year 1522.)

(Archives of the I tidies, Patronato, Shelf 1, Box 1.)

The gold, jewels, and other things which were

registered before me, Alonso de Vergara, notary

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

87

public and of the Council of this wealthy town
of Vera Cruz, which are to go on the ship, God
may preserve, which has for name Santa Maria
de la Rabida, of which Juan Baptista is master,
and the persons who have registered it, is in
the following form:

On the twenty-second of June of the
the year fifteen hundred and twenty-two,
treasurer Julian Alderete and Alonso
Davila and Antonio de Quinones proc-
tors who go from this New Spain, who
carry in the said ship for their Majesties
sixteen thousand two hundred and sixty
pesos of fine gold, cast and marked, in
which are included certain shields of
gold, which also go to His Majesty,
and also were registered two hundred
and thirty-nine pesos of low-grade gold,
that go to His Majesty sent by captain
Hernando Cortes and the officials of
His Highness who reside in this New
Spain. 16260

Registered by the said Alonso Davila $
proctor of this New Spain, that on said
ship, he takes, as his own (property) six
thousand pesos of gold, and other hun-
dred and fifty pesos in jewels. 6900

Antonio de Quinones, proctor of this
New Spain, registered five thousand pe-
sos of gold, cast and marked, as his own
property, he carries another five hundred
pesos in gold. 5500

Item: Juan de Rivera registered,
that he carries for the captain general
Fernando Cortes, five thousand pesos of

Under
239 pesos.
[These] re-
mained in
the Azores
on the is-
land of San-
ta Maria.

Remained
in the
Azores.

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88

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Juan de
Rivera de-
clares that
;hese eight
i undred
and twenty
ivepesos
le gave to
the mari-
ners of the
caravel on
account of
their wages

gold, cast and marked, to give to Martin
Cortes, his father. 5000

Item: the said Juan de Rivera regis-
tered, that he carries for the captain gen-
eral Hernando Cortes, certain jewels of
gold for the said [one] his father, accord-
ing as it is contained in a report signed by
the officials of His Majesty.

The said Juan de Rivera registered •
that he carried as his own, four thousand
pesos of gold cast and marked. 4000

The said Juan de Rivera registered that
he carried as his own, certain jewels of
gold according as it is contained in a re-
port signed by the said treasurer.

The said Rivera registered that he car-
ries eight hundred and twenty-five pesos
of gold cast and marked, for wages of
certain mariners who go in this said ship. 825

The said [Rivera] registered that he
carries, for Diego de Ordas, proctor of this
New Spain, four hundred pesos cast and
marked. 400

The said [Rivera] registered two hun-
dred pesos of gold, which he carries, to
ive to Mencia de Roa of Medellin. 200

Item: the said (Rivera) registered
that hecarries for the heirs of Diego Nieto,
deceased, a citizen of Majadas, one hun-
dred pesos of gold cast and marked. 100

The said [Rivera] registered that he
carries for an ornament of a church in
Medellin fifty pesos of gold. 50

The said [Rivera] registered that he
carries sixty marks of silver for certain

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

89

lamps for certain monasteries, which are,
Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, and San
Francisco of Medellin, and Nuestra
Senora de la Antigua of Sevilla.

Pero Hernandez, tailor, registered,
that he carries as his own, two hundred
pesos of gold. 200

Pero L6pez de Balbas registered nine
hundred pesos, his own, in cast and
marked gold, and sixty pesos in jewels. 900

Andres Osorio registered that he car-
ried, as his own, one hundred and forty
pesos of gold, cast and marked. 140

On the twenty-third of June of the said
year, Alonso de Benavides registered
that he takes as his own property, two
thousand five hundred pesos of gold, cast
and marked, with a chain that weighed
three hundred and forty pesos. 2500

He also registered that he carried
seven marks of silver, his own.

Hernan Peres, pilot, registered that
he carried for Francisco de Resales,
mariner, five hundred and two pesos of
gold cast and marked, consigned to Luis
Hernandez de Alfaro and Juan de C6r-
dova, silversmith, or either one of them. 502

Said Juan de Rivera registered that
he carries certain samples of gold from
the mines to be melted, and pearls from
the South sea for His Majesty.

The said [Rivera] registered that he
carries for Juan de Torres, citizen of
Temiztitan, one hundred and twenty

He declared
that he
brought no
more than
140 because
he had
spent the
rest.

This re-
mained in
the Azores.

This re-
mained in
the Azores.

These came
in the other
caravel.

Seven marks
of silver id.

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90

GOLDSMITH'S ART

pesos of gold for his father Antonio de la
Torre. 120

On June twenty-sixth of the said
year, Francisco de Resales registered
four thousand three hundred pesos of low-
grade gold, assayed, which he sends with
Juan de Rivera to Luis Hernandez de
Alfaro and Juan de C6rdova, citizens of
Sevffla. 4300

In testimony of which, I, the said notary
public, sign it with my name.

Alonso de Vergara, notary public.

Senores: this copy we had taken from the
original register, that remains in our power; we
sign it because it goes with certainty with him.
Alonso Ddvila. Antonio de Quinones.

The ship's master and the mariners of the
said caravel, upon oath that they had received
them, declared that they carried the following,
which they declared they received from Juan
de Rivera, in payment of wages which he
owed them for bringing said caravel from Spain,
which said oath was received from them on
said caravel by me, the paymaster, Juan L6pez
de Recalde, on the eighth of November of the
year 1522.

The master declared that he brings sixty
pesos of gold. 60

Hernan Peres, pilot, said that he left in
the Azores, his own and belonging to other
mariners, one hundred and forty pesos. 140

Francisco Cuervo, pilot, declared that
he brings twenty-five pesos. 25

Antonio Ni^ardo, boatswain, declared
that he brought forty pesos. 40

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

91

Juan Peres, Portuguese, steward, fif-

teen pesos. 15

13 Vicente Fernandez, sailor, mariner,

twelve pesos, because he had spent the

other thirteen pesos. 12

Matheo Sanchez, Genoese, twenty-

seven pesos. 27

40 pesos Diego del Salto, mariner, said

that twenty pesos of his own and fif-

teen of Astudillo, cabin-boy, he left in

the Azores.

10 Anton de Alaras said that he brings

fifteen pesos of gold and ten other pesos,

on account of his wages of twenty-five

pesos, which were spent. 15

Anton Rodrigues, stationer, and Juan

Molinero, mariner. 27

Pedro Gallego, six pesos. 6

Juan de Lomayca.

Pablo, cabin-boy, three pesos.

15 Hernando de la Mata said that he re-

ceived fifteen pesos of his wages and he

spent it in clothing.

On the cover it says:

"Copy extracted by the paymaster Juan

Lopez de Recalde, from the copy of the register

of the gold, and jewels, and other things that

were registered in the town of Vera Cmz, that

came in the ship named Santa Maria de la

Rabida, of which the master is Juan Baptista,

that from the Azores were conveyed in the said
caravel, Alonso Davila and Antonio de Qui-

nones; that on the margins of each entry is

written that which came to Sevilla and that

which remained in the Azores." (Rubrica.)

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92

GOLDSMITH'S ART

COPY OF THAT WHICH UP TO THE PRESENT HAS

PERTAINED TO His MAJESTY, OF THE FIFTH

AND OTHER RIGHTS. (YEAR OF 1522.)

(Archives of the Indies, Patronato, Shelf 1,

Boxl.)

Very powerful Caesar: that which has. per-

tained to Your Majesty, of the fifth and other

rights, in this New Spain of the Ocean sea,

after we left routed from the city of Temixtitan,

without the four thousand pesos of gold that

was sent to Your Highness with Alonso de

Mendoza, is the following:

First, fifty-two pesos, two tomins, five grains

of gold, of a certain balance made to the person

who had charge of collecting that which per-

tained to Your Majesty.

The sum total of gold that has been melted

from the twenty-fifth of September of the year

1521 up to today the sixteenth of May, 1522,

[is] one hundred and sixty-four thousand, four

hundred and four pesos, six tomins, of fine

gold, of which there came out one hundred

and sixty thousand, four hundred and one

pesos, seven tomins, of which there pertained

to Your Highness, of the fifth, thirty-one thou-

sand, eight hundred and sixty pesos, three

tomins of gold: the reason we were short of

as much as those five thousand and two pesos,

seven tomins, is because all the gold that was

melted was [set] in pieces or objects that had

much pitch (bitumen).

Item: there pertains to Your Majesty, of

the rights of melting and marking of one hun-

dred and twenty-seven thousand, four hundred

and forty-one pesos, four tomins of gold that

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

93

remained after taking out the said fifth, for the
captain and the conquerors, one thousand two
hundred and seventy-four pesos three tomins,
four grains of gold.

Item: one hundred and seventy-four pesos
from the sweepings and washings of the melting
of the said gold.

Item: one hundred and sixty pesos of gold,
the fifth of eight hundred pesos of gold which
Juan Velasquez de Le6n and Francisco Salzeda,
deceased, owed your Highness and the con-
querors.

There pertained to Your Majesty five thou-
sand, three hundred and ninety-seven pesos,
two tomins, six grains, of the fifth of twenty-six
thousand, nine hundred and eighty-six pesos,
four tomins, six grains of gold, which were
obtained and collected up to today, the said day
from the sale of the slaves and other things
that were obtained in the war, from the first of
January of the year 1521, when the captain and
the men that were with him entered into war
in the province of Culiacan and the city of
Tezcuco and in the other provinces of Mexico
and of Temiztitan: which said sale of slaves
and other things which pertained to Your High-
ness and to the conquerors, was made at one
time and in the same form, and was collected
in presence of the officials of Your Majesty;
and the fifth of the said collection amounted to,
as said, five thousand, three hundred and ninety-
seven pesos, two tomins, six grains.

Item: there pertained to Your Majesty three
thousand, one hundred and forty-six pesos, of
gold, the value of the slaves that comprised the

AND MONOGRAPHS

94

GOLDSMITH'S ART

fifth in the province of Piaca [Tepeaca?] un the
year 1520. Moreover, there pertained to Your
Majesty one thousand and twenty pesos of
gold, that was given by the Indians of the city
of Tezcuco, that are deposited, for the estates
of Your Highness.

Item: Ninety-three pesos of gold, the value
of fourteen loads of cacao, that pertained as the
fifth for Your Highness.

Item: eight pesos, six tomins, of seven load^
of cotton, that pertained to Your Majesty of
the fifth.

Item: three hundred and thirty-three pesos
of gold, the value of certain cotton mantles or
blankets that pertained of the fifth to Your
Majesty.

Item: three hundred and seventy-one pesos,
two tomins, of certain jewels and pieces of gold,
that certain private persons have registered
and which they have in their power up to today.

Item : collected up to today, the said day, the
penalties of the legislature, one thousand one
hundred pesos.

So that all that belongs to Your Highness,
as stated here, amounts to forty-four thousand,
nine hundred and seventy-nine pesos, three
tomins, six grains, of fine gold.

Low-grade gold

There was put in the smelters eighteen
thousand pesos of low-grade gold up to today,
which, being melted, produced seventeen thou-
sand fifteen pesos, four tomins, of low-grade
gold, of which there pertain, as the fifth, to
Your Majesty, three thousand, four hundred
and three pesos, ten grains.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

95

Item: from the rights of the smelters and
the marking of the said gold, one hundred and
twenty-four pesos, six tomins, one grain.

From the sweepings and washing of the said
low-grade gold.

From a certain balance that was made to
the person in charge of collecting that which
pertained to Your Highness.

So that the low-grade gold pertaining to
Your Majesty amounts to three thousand, six
hundred and eighty-nine pesos, six tomins,
eleven grains.

There has pertained to Your Highness from
the said day until the present day, thirty-five
marks, five ounces of gold, from the fifth one
hundred and seventy-eight marks, five ounces,
which have been obtained.

Item: two shields of gilded silver with some
gaudy ornaments which weigh, the one, twelve
marks, four ounces, four reals, and the other
eleven marks five. . . . that all together
[weigh] twenty-four marks, two ounces, four
reals, which said shields were obtained in the
city . of Temiztitan and captain Hernando
Cort6s and the conquerors of this New Spain
wish to present together with the rest of the
fifth that pertains to Your Highness.

In addition to the gold and silver contained
in this report there pertained to Your Majesty
the fifth of the jewels and pieces of gold and
stones and other things, and according to the
manner as declared and signed by our names
in the report that is sent to Your Highness with
the present, of the gold and things which we
send to you, and which are also signed by our

AND MONOGRAPHS

96

GOLDSMITH'S ART

names. Executed in Cuyoacan, the sixteenth

of May, 1522.

Fernando Cortes. Julian Alderete. Alonso

de Grado. Bernaldino Vasquez de Tapia.

On the cover it says:

"Copy of the report of that which, up to the

departure of these caravels now arrived, per-
tain to His Majesty in New Spain, [extracted]

by the paymaster Juan L6pez de Recalde from
the said original report, signed by Hernando

Cortes, Julian Alderete, Alonso de Grado, and

Bernaldino Vasquez de Tapia." (There is a

rubrica.)

Note. The Juan L6pez de Recalde who

signed this report was the official paymaster of

the House of Commerce [Board of Trade] in

Sevilla.

A list of some of the jewels sent by Cortes

to Spain in 1526 has been recently found in

the Archives of the Indies in Sevilla, and

published by Padre Mariano Cuevas.32 A

translation follows.

JEWELS THAT HERNAN CORTES SENT TO SPAIN

FROM MEXICO IN 1526, INVENTORIED BY

CRIST&BAL DE ONATE. MEXICO, 25 OF SEP-

TEMBER OF 1526.

This document was found in the section of

Papeles de Justicia, Autos fiscales, Audiencia de

Mexico, Shelf 47, Box 5, Bundle I (35). [Size

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

97

of paper 300 x 2 10 mm. Watermark : hand and
flower with six petals.],

I, Christoval d'Onate, paymaster in this
Xew Spain for the paymaster Rodrigo de
Albornoz, state and give testimony that in the
city of Tenuxtitan on the twenty-fifth day of
the month of September of the year fifteen
hundred and twenty-six, the governor Don
Hernando Cortes registered the following jewels:

A set of a rapier that has two heads of eagles
for pommels, and two feet of eagles for hilt, and
a round haft and two pieces for the center of
the knife of netting.

A large chape [of a scabbard].

An owl with six pendants.

A girdle with seven pendants, and a little
eagle and two rings attached to the flaccid part
of the girdle.

Two large ear ornaments.

A pyx with a crucifix and images of Our Lad
and St John stamped on it.

Also several strings of beads and several
little birds, and a large rosette.

A shield with sixteen pendants.

A Flemish bag with several small fish for
pendants.

Thirty-four large and round beads, and
thirty-three beads in another string.

A necklace of turtles that has eighteen pieces
with their pendants.

Another necklace of small cocumaile \CUQU-
matl, weasel] heads that has thirty-five pieces.

Two boxes [made] of turtles [shells], and a
large flying fish.

AND MONOGRAPHS

98

GOLDSMITH'S ART

A lizard with wings.

A small necklace that contains twenty-five
pieces with their pendants.

A QQCumatle (weasel) set in a turtle.

A shell with a beriheco [?], and a little lion
with a chalchihuite on the back.

A young eagle with a brood also on the back.

A qocumatle with a greenstone in the belly.

A string of small tubes and of worms [?] that
contains thirty-eight pieces and their pendants.

A string of very small beads with some bells
forming the extremities, with" a small medal at
the end with a chalchihuite.

A rose (rosette) with its pendants, and a
shield with arrows and pendants. [This seems
to describe the gold jewel shown on pi. i.]

Some strings of round and oval beads, and
among them four butterflies and an eagle with
pendants on the tail.

Two butterflies with two chalchihuites on
the backs.

Forty-two long beads like tubes, with a medal
at the end with its pendants.

Forty-six round beads and twenty-nine long
ones on a string.

Two images.

A small shield, a chalchihuite at the end and
two pendants hanging from it.

A rose (rosette) of gold and silver with a
chalchihuite in the center.

Another rose (rosette) with a butterfly in
the center.

A rosary that contains sixty beads made in
a string with two large fishes among them with
wings and a large cicada.

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

99

A string that contains twenty-two long beads

and twenty-six round ones and a rose (rosette)

of gold and silver at the end.

Another large rose (rosette) with a chal-

chihuite in the center that has the figure of a

man carved in the chalchihuite.

Twenty-five large tubes (bugles).

A little eagle with some chalchihuites and

pendants hanging from the breast.

A string of long and round beads containing

forty pieces.

A rose (rosette) with a chalchihuite in the

middle and ninety-six long and round beads

in a string.

A small chain of long links and a crucifix

at the end. ^ +t*4JL&e fe

matle (weasel) with a chalchihuite in the breasts.

Four pendants.

Three rings with three little eagles.

Two rings with the heads of owls.

Two others with two roses (rosettes).

A girdle with four pendants.

Thirteen rings with turquoises, and one with

a greenstone, and another with a red stone, and

two others without stones, and another with

a little eagle, and two heads of goalteca [?].

A jar with two expansions with its foot [and]

with two handles.

A xicala (jicara, gourd chocolate-cup) with

a stirrer.

A cross with a crucifix and its support.

A small jar with a handle.

A girdle with the said pendants and a rose

(rosette) with the head of a tiger in the center.

AND MONOGRAPHS

100

GOLDSMITH'S ART

A medal made like a sun with a carved chal-
chihuite, in the center a shield with thirteen
pendants and some greenstones in the middle.

A scorpion with a chalchihuite in the body
and a snake coiled round with a chalchihuite
in the middle with nine pendants.

A rose (rosette) with the head of an Indian
with six pendants.

A bird with a chalchihuite in the breast.

Another coiled serpent with a chalchihuite
and a pearl in the middle, and a cross on the
back, with its pendants.

A tiger with eighteen beads on a cord.

Two bags with some pendants, like triaqueras
(medicine pots).

A little cicada with two chalchihuites, one
in the head and the other in the body, and three
small turquoises in the tail.

An eagle and a tiger united the one with the
other, and a carved stone on the breasts.

A medal like a rose (rosette), with five
pendants with forty-four little tubes of gold.

Another medal with two pendants and sixty-
four oval and round beads.

Fifty beads shaped like small tubes, and
round ones and a piece of leaf.

An eagle of two heads, and in the middle of
it a crucifix with several pendants, forty-six
oval and round beads.

A Qoaimatle (weasel) with several roses
''rosettes) in the forefeet and a hole in the belly.

A tiger with .two eagles, and thirty-six beads,
all on a cord, and a girdle with nine pendants.

A slab of red [red may be a weight for nets?j

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

101

and on it a crucifix of silver and Our Lady on
the other side.

Four pendants.

A rose (rosette) with a chalchihuite in the
center.

A coiled snake with seven pendants.

Another coiled snake with a movable tail.

Thirty-nine oval beads and a girdle with
three pendants.

A rose (rosette) with a sprig of small tiny
stones.

A string of beads containing one hundred
and five small tubular and round beads.

Another small string that contains twenty-
six beads of the same kind although a little
smaller.

Another string of beads containing sixty-
six small tubular and round beads, and several
little worms [gnsanilhs may also be gold or
silver twisted thread] for pendants.

A small crucifix with a cross.

A small hand with a tiger coming out of it.

Another large crucifix with a crooked cross,
with three chalchihuites on the back of the
cross, and fortv-eight beads made like little
bells.

Two toothpicks, each with four little pieces.

All of gold which weighed two thousand,
three hundred and fifty-nine pesos, from which
the fifth and equity pertaining to His Majesty
were paid, and of which the said Christoval
Donate gives testimony.

Dated the first of October of the said year
one thousand five hundred and twenty-six.

Christoval de onate (rubric)

AND MONOGRAPHS

102

GOLDSMITH'S ART

On the back we read: "The Lords of the

Council ordained that I should place this

testimony in this process at Burgos the XVIII

of January, the year IUDXXVIII [1528].'1

There is a rubrica.

It has been demonstrated by the state-

ment of Bernal Diaz, and especially by a

study of the lists of the great Aztecan loot,

that by far the greater part of the gold

treasure gathered by Montezuma for the in-

vading Cortes and his fellow Spaniards went

at once to the crucible to be melted into bars

for immediate division. Of this, the King

of Spain received his royal fifth and a certain

other small proportion of the spoils, the

greater part being retained by Cortes and

his companions. Of all the priceless relics

of ancient Mexican art, such as gold, jew-

els, stone mosaics, and the unique feather

mosaic-work, which were not destroyed, but

sent to Spain as treasure or curiosities, prob-

ably fewer than two score of these objects

are to be found today in Europe. During

the passing four centuries, the melting-pot,

careless hands, and moths, have each con-

tributed to carry to oblivion visual knowl-

INDIAN NOTES

INVENTORIES

103

edge of these arts. Of the jewels of gold

sent to Europe by Cortes and others, enu-

merated in the lists presented above, no speci-

mens are extant. Of stone mosaic-work on

wood, in which gold often enters as part of

the decoration, two dozen pieces are on

record as being extant, while the wonderful

feather-mosaics with gold are represented

by four or five examples. A single ancient

feather-mosaic shield hangs on a wall of

the Museo Nacional in the City of Mexico.

Of all this enormous quantity of gold cast

and hammered into jewels and other objects

of high esthetic merit, as we have said, no

examples are now known to exist in Europe.

Our meager knowledge of the character of

this art must be derived from the inventories

we have given, and from specimens found in

graves in recent years, some of which will be

described and illustrated in this monograph.

Robertson, in his History of America, writ-

ten at the close of the eighteenth century,

mentions a gold cup in England. He writes :

"The only unquestionable specimen ol

Mexican art that I know of in Great Britain

is a cup of very fine gold, which is said to have

AND MONOGRAPHS

104

GOLDSMITH'S ART

belonged to Montezuma. It weighs five ounces

twelve dwt. Three drawings . of it were ex-

hibited to the Society of Antiquaries, June 18.

1765. A man's head is represented on the cup.

On one side the full face, on the other the profile.

on the third and back, part of the head. The

relievo is said to have been produced by punch-

ing the inside of the cup so as to make the

representation of a face on the outside. The

features are gross, but represented with some

degree of art, and certainly too rude for Spanish

workmanship. This cup was purchased by
Edward, Earl of Oxford, while he lay in the

harbour of Cadiz."33

According to Humboldt34 this gold cup

was in the possession of Lord Archer, and

was reputed to have belonged to Monte-

zuma. Its present whereabouts are un-

known to the writer. From the description

we are reminded more of Peruvian than of

Mexican work, and many gold cups of this

type from Peru and Bolivia are to be found

in various museums and private collections

,

SOURCES OF GOLD

Cortes was informed by Montezuma, ac-

cording to Bernal Diaz, that gold was ob-

tained from —

INDIAN NOTES

SOURCES OF GOLD

105

" three places, but they usually brought most

of the gold from a province named Zacatula

[now called the Rio Balsas, in Guerrero], which

is on the south coast ten or twelve days' journey

from that city [Mexico]. The gold was collected
in xicales (gourds) by washing away the earth.

so that after the earth was washed away some

grains of the gold remained. At the present

time they also brought it to him from another

province called Tustepec, near where we dis-

embarked on the north coast where it was gath-

ered from two rivers. Near that province

there were other good mines in a land that was

not subject to him, named the land of the

Chinantecs and Zapotecs, who did not obey

his rule."35

Cortes, in his second letter to the King,

despatched from Mexico, enters into greater

detail. He writes:'

" I prayed him [Montezuma] so that I might-

give a better account to Your Majesty of this

country, to show me the mines from which he

obtained gold, and he answered with perfect

good will that he would gladly do so. He

immediately sent certain of his servants, dis-

tributing them two by two over four provinces.

from which he said he got the gold; and he asked

me to send Spaniards with them, to see how it

was taken out. So, for each of his own people,

I sent two Spaniards, and some went to a

province called Cuzula, eighty leagues from the

great city of Temixtitan, the natives of which

AND MONOGRAPHS

106

GOLDSMITH'S ART

are his vassals, and there they were shown three
rivers, from each of which they brought me some
specimens of gold of very good quality, although
it was taken out with mean tools, as they had
only those with which the Indians extract it.
On the road they passed through three provinces,
according to what the Spaniards said, of very
fine land, and many hamlets and cities, and
towns, very populous, and containing building?
equal to any in Spain. They told me especially
of a house and fort, greater, stronger, and better
built than the castle of Burgos, and that the
people of this province, called Tamazulapa.
were better dressed than any others we have
seen, and, as it seemed to them, more intelli-
gent. Others went to another province called
Malinaltepeque, another seventy leagues from
the said city, and more toward the seacoast;
and they brought me likewise specimens of
gold from a great river there. The others went
to a country called Teniz, farther up this
river, belonging to a people of a different lan-
guage from that of Culua, and the ruler of that
country is called Coatelicamat. His country
lies in a very high rugged mountain-chain, and
it is not subject to Montezuma; the people of
that province are very warlike, fighting with
lances, twenty or thirty palms long, and,
because they are not vassals of Montezuma,
the messengers did not dare enter that country
without first notifying the chief and asking his
permission. They told him they had come
with the Spaniards to see the gold mines in
his country, and besought him, on my part and
that of Montezuma, their lord, to permit it.

INDIAN NOTES

SOURCES OF GOLD

107

Coatelicamat answered that he was very willing

the Spaniards should come into his country and

see the mines, and whatever else they wished,

but that the Culuans, who were subject to

Montezuma, must not come, because they

were his enemies. ... At last they deter-

mined to go alone, and the lord and his people

'received them very well, and showed them

seven or eight mines where they took out gold;

:nd in their presence the Indians took some

out of which they brought me some specimens.

Coatelicamat sent me certain messengers with

the Spaniards, offering himself and his country

for the service of Your Majesty; and he sent

me certain valuables of gold, and such wearing

apparel as they have. The others went to

another province, called Tuchitepeque, which

is almost in a direct line toward the sea, twelve

leagues beyond the province of Malinaltepeque,

where, as I have already said, gold had been

found. Two other rivers were shown them

there, where gold is also found."36

There were no mines. Nuggets of gold

were found on the surface, but the principal

source was the sands of the river-beds. It

was kept in the form of dust in small cane

tubes or quills, or was melted in small pots

by the aid of hollow reed blowpipes, and

cast in bars.

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108 GOLDSMITH'S ART

USES OF GOLD

Gold formed a part of the yearly tribute
paid by the southern provinces of ancient
Mexico to the Aztec kings of Tenochtitlan,
and we have the pictorial representation of
such tribute preserved in an original codex
on maguey paper, which depicts the objects,
hieroglyphs for the quantities paid, and
hieroglyphs for the names of the towns upon
which the gold tribute was levied. This
codex is called the Tribute Roll of Monte
zuma.37 The gold was paid in dust kept in
gourds or cane tubes, and in bars. Manu-
factured articles are shown in the codex in
the form of diadems and head-bands, as
well as bells, circular breast ornaments, lab-
rets or lip plugs, and round beads.

On pi. xvn of the Penafiel edition of the

Tribute Roll,38 are ten yellow bars described

as being four fingers in width, three-fourths

j of a vara in length, and of the thickness of

parchment. In the edition of Lorenzana39

| is the legend in Nahuatl, "Tcocuillatl coztic

, matlacM" meaning "ten yellow gold things."

A yellow vessel with a flag (fig. 1), the sign

INDIAN NOTES

USES OF GOLD

109

for twenty, means the payment of twenty
gourd vessels of gold dust. In the Loren-
zana edition, this item bears the legend,
"Centec pantli inxalli teocui-
tlatlcoztic initlacallatl" trans-
lated by him as "certain (J— *
measures or tecomates (gourds) ^ •*.*»:' :.: " '.* .
filled with gold-dust." The ^~ ^
names of places which sug- ^" ^
gest the towns paying gold
tributes are, Acocozpa, "in the yellow
water;" Acuitlapan, "in the place of gold,"
and Chipetlan, "place of the

^ terrible god Xipe Totec."
On pi. xvm the page is di-
vided into three sections, and
in the third group are repre-
Osented two yellow discs, each
having the sign for twenty
above (fig. 2). The legend
in Lorenzana is, "Ontecpan-
FIG. 2. tlatematli coztic" the record
being, forty gold discs, and the
place paying this tribute may be Ixicayan,
"where the water goes down."
On pi. xxi is a record of the payment of

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110

GOLDSMITH'S ART

twenty gourds filled with gold-dust. Eleven
towns are represented on this page. They
are: (1) Coixtlahuacan, (2) Texopan, (3)
Tamozolapan, (4) Yancuitlan, (5) Tepuzcu-
lulan, (6) Nochistlan, (7) Xaltepec, (8)
Tamazolan, (9) Mictlan, (10) Coaxomulco,
(11) Cuicatlan. The first town is north of
the Mixteca in the Chocho territory.
Towns numbered 4, 5, 6, and 8 are in the
Mixteca territory, 3 is in the Mixe region, 7
appears to be in the same region, 11 is in
the valley east of the Mixteca, and Mitla
is the site of the famous ruins in Zapotecan
territory. The legend in Lorenzana is,
"Teocuitlatl coztic centec pan xicalli" being
twenty jicaras (gourds) of yellow gold.

A list of tributes paid by towns in the
valley of Oaxaca is shown on pi. xxn.
Seven of these towns may be identified with
present settlements, still bearing the ancient
names in the Nahuatl language. The first
is Coyollapan, probably Cuilapam; the sec-
ond is Etlan, now known as Etla; the fourth
is Huaxayac, or Oaxaca; the fifth Camotlan,
but there are at present four Camotlans in
the state, and none of this name at present

INDIAN NOTES

USES- OF GOLD 111

exists in the valley. The most significant
place is the sixth on the list, Teocutlan, prop-
erly Teocuitlan, meaning, "the place where
gold is found," represented in the hieroglyph
place-name by a bare arm with a stream of
water flowing from the hand, and placed
against it is the sign for gold. The eighth
is Ocotlan, near which town there are now
worked rich gold mines. The ninth, Teti-
pac; tenth, Tlacueychahayan, evidently
Tlacochahuaya; and the eleventh Macuilxo-
chitl. From this region was sent to Monte-
zuma twenty large gold plaques. The
legend given by Lorenzana is "Centec pantll
coztic teocuitlacomalli" being translated as
"twenty comallis [a comalli being the clay
pan or griddle of circular form] of yellow
gold." A note in the Penafiel edition says
they were the size of average plates and the
thickness of the thumb, and he adds that
this page represents the tribute paid by the
ancient Zapotecan kingdom.

Between pages xxii and xxiii of the Pena-
fiel edition it is evident that a page is miss-
ing hi the original maguey paper codex. In
the edition of Kingsborough,40 which was

AND MONOGRAPHS

N. M.— 2

112

GOLDSMITH'S ART

made from the copy on European paper
called the Codex Mendoza, pi. 47 and 48
represent the two sides of this missing leaf.
It was evidently abstracted from the original
painting at some early time, as it is missing
also in the edition of Lorenzana published
in 1770. On page 48 are the representations
of twenty-two towns in the hot country pay-
ing a considerable quantity of works in gold.
These towns are: Tochtepec, Xayaca, Otla-
titlan, Cocamaloapa, Mixtlan, Michapan,
Ayotzintepec, Michatlan, Teotlitlan, Xical-
tepec, Oxitlan, Tzinacanoztoc, Tototepec,
Chinantlan, Ayocin tepee, Cuezcomatitla,
Puetlan, Teteutlan, Yxmatlatlan, Yautlan.
Toztlan, and Tlacotlal. The gold tributes
shown are: a gold shield; a diadem of gold,
being made of flexible gold like the copilli
or crown worn by the kings as depicted in
many Mexican codices; a broad band for
the head, a hand -breadth wide and of the
thickness of parchment; two strings of gold
beads, one of which has six bells inter-
spersed; twenty becotes (labrets or long
lip-plugs) of clear amber enchased with
gold at the lower end; and twenty becotes

INDIAN NOTES

USES OF GOLD 113

of crystal "with a blue matrix and enchased
with gold."

On pi. xxin is the tribute from the prov-
ince of Soconusco in the present state of
Chiapas. The towns in this hotland region
also sent lip-ornaments, and we find repre-
sented in the Penafiel and Lorenzana edi-
tions, two yellow labrets. The legend
above one in Lorenzana is "Ome Tczcatl,"
"two columns of fine stone." Above the
other is "Tezcatl" with the caption hi
Spanish, "columns of alabaster or other
special stones." In Kingsborough they are j
described as "becotes of clear amber en-
chased with gold."

The last objects of gold shown in the
Tribute Roll are on pi. xxv. The places
paying this tribute are in the hotlands of
the state of Vera Cruz. Two labrets, with
the sign for twenty above each, are painted.
The first one is green in the Penafiel edition
(painted blue in Kingsborough) , with a
yellow band on the upper part. The second
is brown (yellow in Kingsborough), with
the upper section yellow. They are de-
scribed in Kingsborough as "twenty becotes

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114

GOLDSMITH'S ART

of beryl with a blue matrix enchased with

gold," and "twenty becotes of clear amber

enchased with gold."

It was a custom, when kings, priests,

war chiefs, or other important persons

died, to bury them with their gold jewels

and other objects, although in some parts

of the country cremation was practised.

Concerning burial, the Anonymous Con-

queror writes:

''They made a pit m the earth with walls of

rough stone and mortar, in which they place

the dead seated in a chair. At his side they

placed his sword and shield, burying also cer-

tain jewels of gold. I helped to take from a

sepulcher jewels worth three thousand castella-

nos."41

The idols representing the various deities

were often ornamented with jewels of gold

made with a mosaic of precious stones.

Andres de Tapia describes an idol, probably

that of Huitzilopochtli, which he says

was the size of a large man, made of a mass

composed of seeds ground and kneaded

together with the heart's blood of sacrificed

children, and in this kind of dough were

placed many gold jewels. He describes

INDIAN NOTES

USES OF GOLD

115

two other idols of stone almost three yards

high—

"the stone covered over with mother-of-pearl,
and over this, fastened with bitumen like a

paste, were [set in] many jewels of gold, and

men, snakes, birds, and histories [hieroglyphs?]

made of small and large turquoises, of emeralds

and amethysts, so that all the mother-of-pearl

was covered, except in some places where they

left it [uncovered] so as to make work with

the stones. These idols had some plump snakes
of gold [as] girdles, and for collars each [one

had] ten or twelve hearts made of gold, and for

the face a mask of gold and eyes of mirror

[obsidian or iron pyrites]."42

It has also been stated by some writers

that the interior of their temples were

decorated with gold, but this use of gold

has not been substantiated. Herrera, how-

ever, tells us that gold bells were used on

their doors. He says they used certain

mats made of bamboo to close the entrances

to their houses, that might be easily removed

or replaced. Attached to them were bells

of copper and of gold, or some other metal,

and marine shells, in order to make a noise

when they removed them or opened or

closed the doors.43

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116

GOLDSMITH'S ART

There are references to gold in the poetry
of the ancient Mexicans. These examples
will suffice from the material at hand. In
the treatise on the Mexican language by
Father Horacio Carochi, the best of the
early grammarians,44 is the strophe "Xinh-
coyolizitzilica in teotcuitlahuehuetl" trans-
lated by Carochi into - Spanish as "el
atambor de plata suena como cascables de
turquesa." Freely rendered into English
it is, "the silver drum sounds like bells of
turquoise." Brinton has pointed out care-
lessness in the Spanish translation, for the
| Nahuatl word is clearly not silver, but gold.
Brinton gives it as "the golden drums tur-
quoise-bell tinkling."45 In a song published
by Brinton, called an "Otomi song of the
Mexicans," occurs the line, "I shall speak
forth my song like the tinkling of golden
bells,"46 and again in the same song is the
strophe, "In the true spirit of song I lifted
my voice through a trumpet of gold."
Another poetic reference to gold is found
in the song to the god of the goldsmiths,
Xipe Totec. As translated from the
Nahuatl by Seler, it reads, "The nightly

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

117

drinker, why art thou angry? Put on thy

disguising, the golden garment; clothe thy-

self in it."47

THE AZTEC GOLDSMITHS AND THEIR

WORK

The origin of the goldsmith's art is

attributed by the Aztecs to the Toltecs,

their predecessors in the valley of Mexico,

and its invention and improvement has

been assigned by them to the culture hero,

who later became the great beneficent god

Quetzalcoatl, who was worshiped through-

out central Mexico, and whose chief seat

of worship was in Cholula, the great pyra-

mid, or teocalli, still to be seen there, having

been erected in his honor.

The center of the goldsmiths was the

town of Atzcapotzalco, a league northwest

of Tenochtitlan. It was the capital of the

Tepanecos when the Aztecs came into the

valley of Mexico. These artisans were

famed throughout Mexico, and Bernal

Diaz says that even the great goldsmiths

of Spain were forced to admire their work.

The profession was a highly honorable one,

AND MONOGRAPHS

118 GOLDSMITH'S ART

and its members formed a respectable body
held in great esteem. They had a special
veneration for the god Xipe, their tutelar
deity, and held a festival in his honor during
the second month of the ancient Mexican
year, accompanied with human sacrifice.48
The great favor in which the trade was
held is indicated by the stringent laws con-
cerning the theft of gold. If a person was
convicted of stealing either gold or silver,
he was severely punished, the theft of gold
being considered a direct insult to the god.
In fact, the Nahuatl or Mexican word for
gold is teocuitlatl, a compound of teail,
"god," and cuittatl, "excrement," meaning
"excrement of the gods," or "divine excre-
ment."4 The usual penalty for the offence
was that the person, if found guilty, should
be kept until the annual festival of Xipe
Totec, "Our Lord the Flayed," when he
was sacrificed to that deity, being flayed
alive by the priest.60

Gold, silver, and other metals, as well
as precious stones and feather-work, and
jewels made from these materials, were
daily sold in Tenochtitlan (Mexico).

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

119

Cortes describes the great market of Ten-
ochtitlan, and the great quantity of things
daily exposed for sale included jewels of
gold, silver, and stones. The Anonymous
Conqueror, in describing the great market,
states that it was held every fifth day, and
that "on one side of the plaza are those
who sell gold, and adjoining are those who
sell stones of various classes set in gold, in
the shapes of various birds and animals."51

This refers to mosaic jewels with stone
and gold inlays. Cortes further informs
us that Montezuma had in his house
representations in gold, silver, stones, or
feathers, of every object of his domain,
beautifully executed; and there is also a
statement that in the collection of Neza-
hualcoyotl, king of Texcoco, were the
representations in stone mosaic-work and
gold of every bird, fish, or animal which
could not be obtained alive.52

We are not lacking in statements regard-
ing the mechanical processes used in the
manufacture of gold-leaf, and the modeling
and casting of jewels and other objects of
both gold and silver.

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120

GOLDSMITH'S ART

In the Codex Mendoza53 is an illustration

of a goldsmith at work. This is shown on

pi. n, B. The crucible appears to be a clay

tripod vessel, from which flames are rising,

and against the flames is the hieroglyph

for gold. Other hieroglyphs for gold, taken

,

from various sources, are given in our figs.

3 to 6. The Indian, seated on a mat, is

teaching a child; he has in the right hand

a blowpipe, which tapers outwardly, as if

FIG. 3. FIG. 4. FIG. 5. FIG. 6.

to diffuse the blast for obtaining greater

ignition of the charcoal to intensify the heat.

The implement held in the left hand may

perhaps represent tongs. Large copper

implements, usually regarded as tweezers,

have been found, and may have been em-

ployed for this purpose.

We have another representation of the

goldsmith at work in the Mappe Tlotzin,54

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE— GOLD ORNAMENTS

znra

MEXICAN GOLDSMITHS AT WORK
(After Mexican Codices)

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

121

given on pi. n, A. The furnace- is not quite

cylindrical, for its diameter is smaller at

the top than at the base. There are two

openings in the body of the crucible, just

below the rim, which permitted the blast

of either one or two blowpipes to be directed

upon the charcoal in the crucible. Another

hole near the bottom admitted air. This

vessel is probably of clay, and it rests on a

stand. The artisan appears to be stirring

the contents of the crucible with a rod held

in the left hand, while he blows the fire

' through a tube held in the right hand.

Motolinia, one of our best authorities,

states that —

"In order to be good silversmiths or plate j

workers, they lacked onlv tools, which they did

not have, but with one stone over another they

make a plain cup and a plate. Moreover, to

smelt a piece and make a cast, they took pref-

erence over the silversmiths of Spain, inasmuch

as they could cast a bird with movable tongue,

head, and wings and cast a monkey or other

monster with movable head, tongue, feet, and

hands, and in the hand put a toy so that it

appeared to dance with it; and even more, they

take out a piece, one-half of gold and one-half

of silver, and cast a fish with all its scales, the

one of gold and the other of silver." 55

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122

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Motolinia also states that although the
ancient Mexicans were not good metal
beaters, a silversmith from Spain tried to
conceal his art fro-n the Indians, telling
them that it took a-i apprentice eight years
to learn the trade, but by watching him
work and counting the number* of blows,
and how he turned and revolved the mold,
etc., within less than a year they were able
to work in the same manner.

Notwithstanding this statement that the
Mexican natives were not good beaters of
gold, we have abundant evidence that they
were able to work the metal into very thin
gold-leaf, as in recent years pottery vessels
and beads have been found decorated with
such. Furthermore, they gilded their cere-
monial atlatls, 6 several of which are now in
(European museums, probably being part
! of the objects sent over to Spain by Cortes
himself.

That the Aztecs did not immediately lose
their skill in the art of casting and hammer-
ing gold after their subjugation by the
Spaniards, is shown by the statement of
Torquemada,57 who, writing in 1608, relates

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

123

that, being in need of some gold buttons,

an Aztec working in the manner of his

ancestors made the buttons in the shape

of small gourds, so perfectly imitated as to

excite great admiration. Sahagun, in his

great work on "The Things of New Spain,"

in treating of the artisans who worked

gold, writes:

"In this chapter commences a treatise of

the artisans who worked gold and silver. They

are of two kinds. Some of them are called

beaters. These worked gold with the hammer,

pounding with hammers to make it thin like

paper. Others are called tlatlaliani, that is,

those who fuse the gold, or anything else in it,

or silver. These are the true artisans, who are

also called by another name, Tulteca, but they

are divided into two classes, because each one

works the gold according to his own manner."58

The circumstantial and extended account

of the methods employed by the Aztecs in

working gold, furnished us by Father

Sahagun, is unfortunately not included in

the abridged form of the work published by

Bustamante and Lord Kingsborough. The

original work, of greater length, written in

the Nahuatl language and accompanied

AND MONOGRAPHS

j

124 GOLDSMITH'S ART

with a large number of paintings, has never

been published. Part of the manuscript

is in Madrid, and the other part in Florence.

iThe Mexican scholar, the late Francisco

del Paso y Troncoso, was engaged for more

than twenty years in the translation into

Spanish and the annotation of this work of

Sahagun. In 1912 the writer was shown by

Sr Troncoso, in Madrid, the first two

printed volumes of his edition, and was

informed that it would be completed in

seven or eight volumes, the third and fourth

volumes being at that time in press. Pro-

fessor Seler has published several chapters

of the Nahuatl text with a translation into

French.59 One of these is that treating

in extenso of the goldsmiths of the valley of

Mexico, probably of those who lived in

Atzcapotzalco. It should have formed

chapter xvi, ninth book, of the Spanish

text published by Bustamante, but Sahagun,

in preparing this abridged Spanish version,

omitted it, simply saying:

"The contents of this chapter is not of much

importance, either in connection with the

Faith, nor does it bear on morality, because it

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

125

i

is solely a geometric (mechanical) profession.

If one wishes to learn about it, he has only to

question the artisans who work at this trade,

who are to be found everywhere."60

Bustamante justly laments the omission

of this section, as being one about which we

would like most to learn. He scores the

Spaniards for allowing the Indians to lose

the knowledge of their ancient crafts, and

states that it is a mortal blow to the fine

arts.

From this chapter we learn of the mainj

processes of their art. Successful experi-

ments along this line have been made by

Francisco Leon, the brother of Dr Nicolas

Leon, which have been published by the

latter.61

Sahagun's account is so important that

we append the Nahuatl text, with a trans-

lation of the French rendering by Seler.

CHAPTER I

L "Nican moteneua yn iufiqui yc tlachichiua

yn yehoantin teocuitlapitzque, yn tecidtica, yoan \

xicocuitiatica, tlatlalia, ilacuiloua, ynic, quipilza

tcocidtlatl yn coztlc yoan yn iztac."

1. Here is treated the manner of working of

the goldsmiths, who make a mold by means of

AND MONOGRAPHS

126 GOLDSMITH'S ART

charcoal and wax, applying to it designs, and in
this manner fuse gold and silver.

2. " Ynic onpeuhtica yntidtecayo, achto yeh-
vall tlayacana quinpalehuia yn tecidli, achto ud
quiteci, quicuechoua, quicuechtilia."

2. They commence their work in the follow-
ing manner: First the master gives them the
charcoal, which they grind very fine.

3. "Auk yn oquitezque, niman connamictia
qitineloua achlton conQoquitl, yehoatl yn ttatzacntil
yn comitl mochiua yc quipoloua, yc qnixaqualoua
yc quimatzacutilia yn tectdli, yc tlaquaua, yc
tepitzahui."

3. And when it is ground they add a little
clay, the glutinous earth which they use in
their pottery. They mix the charcoal with
clay and stir it, and knead it in such manner,
that the two substances constitute one solid
and compact mass.

4. "Auh yn oquicencauque, sanoqu-iuliquin
quitlatlaxcaloua tonayan qnimamana, yoan cequi
qano'mhquin tla^oquitlalili, tonayan quitlatlalia."

4. And when they have the mass prepared,
the}'' shape it into thin discs which they expose
to the sun, and in the same manner they shape
still more discs consisting of clay alone, and they
expose them to the sun.

5. "Omilhuitl yn vaqui tepinaqui tepitzuaqiii,
tepilzaui."

5. For two days these objects dry, so that
they become very hard.

6. " Yniquac uel ouac, yn ollaquauac, qaiepan
moxixima, mocuicui yn tectdli yea tepuzhuic-
tontli."

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

127

6. When the charcoal is well dried and very
hard, it is cut, then it is carved by means of a
little scraper of copper.

7. "Can mixnenpcuallia, moyolcapeualtia, yn
•nwciiicui, ca mixtiuia woyolhuia, yniqu-ipan qiti-
Qaz yn $a$o tlehin mochinaz."
7. That which is cut shall resemble the orig-
inal and must have life, for whatever may be
the object that is intended to be manufactured,
the form resulting from it must resemble the
original and have life.
8. " Yn a$o ciiextccatl, a$o toueyo, yacahui-
role, yacacoynnqni, yxllan mina, •motlaqu-icnilo
yizconaiica; niman ynh nwtlatlalia yn tcciilli, ynic
moxixima ynic niotlatlamachia."
8. For ejcarnPJ£feif they wish to manufacture

neighboring soil), with their great nose arch,
the hole piercing the partition of the nasal
passages, where an arrow is inserted which goes
across the face, and having the body tattooe^d,
decorated with figures of a serpent by rnftaWrrf
obsidian »eetile points, they fashion the char-
coal paste in this manner, cut it out and cover
it with the above mentioned designs.

9, " Ytech mana yn catlcuail motlaychyecal-
linia, \n qncnami vvcliz, \tlnchicllz 'wotlaliz."
9. They are very careful to consider what ani-
mal they \vish to imitate; how its being and its
aspect must be represented.

10. ll Yn a$o avotl, nlman yuli motlalia yn
tcculli, ynicacallo ynic moliniticz, yticpa iialitz-
lica, ynitzontccon molinitica, yniqnech, yoan
yninia, yninhqui yc mamaQonhtica"

AND MONO G R A P H S

I. N. M.— 2

128

GOLDSMITH'S ART

10. For, example, if they wish to imitate a

turtle, they fashion the charcoal in this form.

They make its shell, in which it can move, from

the bottom of which its head looks out and from

which its four feet extend and move about.

11. " Yn anoqo tototl ypan quiqaz teocuitlatl.

niman yuh mocuicui, yuh maxima yn tec-nil i.

ynic mihuiyotia matlapaltia mocuitlapiltia mocx-

itia."

11. Or if they desire to give the shape of a

bird, the charcoal is cut and carved in this man-

ner with its bird plumes, its wings, its tail and

its feet.

12. "Anoqo michin yn mochiuaz, niman yuh

maxima yn tecidli, ynic moxinicayotia, yoan
motlatlalilia ynipatlania yyumotlan, yoan ynl-

uhquac yciiitlapil maxaltic."

12. Or if they might wish to make a fish.

they carve out the charcoal in the form of a

fish covered with scales, and they mold its

fins, its sides and its forked tail.

13. "Anoqo chacalin, anoqo cuetzpalin mo-

chiuh motlalia ynima."

13. Or when they desire to make a crab or a

lizard, its feet are molded.

14. " Ynic maxima teculli, yn $a$o catleuatl

mollaycyccalhuia yoyoli.

14. Whatever may be the animal which they

wish to imitate, it is carved out of charcoal in

this manner.

15. Anoqo tcocuitlacozcatl yecahuiz, chayaa-

acayo, tencoyllo tlatlatlamachilli, tlaxochi\cui-

lolli."

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

129

15. Or if they wish to manufacture a gold
collar besprinkled with precious stones, pro-
vided with bells on the lower edge and decor-
ated with reliefs and with designs of flowers.

16. " Yniquac yc omocencauh tecidli, yn omi-
cuilo, yn omoctticuic, niman mopauagi yn xico-
cuitlatl, moneloua, yztec copalli yc uellaquaua."
16. When the charcoal is prepared in this
manner, and is provided with designs and is
carved out, they boil the wax, and they mix it
with white copal, by which it becomes very com-
pact.

17. "£atepan moyectia motzetzeloua, ynic ue
uetzi ynitlayello, ytlalo, yQoquiyo xicocuitlatl."
17. Then they clarify it by nitration, in
order that the impurities of the wax, the dirt
and the clay which are mixed with it, may be
well settled out.

IS. "Auh yniquac omocencauh xicocuitlatll
qatepan ytztapaltepan mocanaua, momililoua yea
quammaytl, mimiltic"
18. When the wax is prepared, they thin it
out on a flat stone, and flatten it by means of
a cylinder of wood which they roll over it by
hand.

19. "Ye yn uel xipetztic tetl yn texixipctztli
ypan mocanaua, momimiloua"
19. They thin it out and flatten it on a very
smooth stone.

20. " Yniquac ouel mocanauh yn fayuhqul
locapeyotl, yn aoccan chicotilauac, niman ytech
motlalia yn teculli, yc on mixquimiloua"

AND MONOGRAPHS

130 GOLDSMITH'S ART

20. When the wax is very thin, like the web
of a spider, and is not more thick in any one
place, they apply it on the charcoal, (which has
been carved out) and they cover the charcoal
with wax.

21. u Auh amo $an ilihuiz ynitech motlalia
qan ihuian achiloton mocotoniuh molectiuh ynic
Qanipan oncacalaqiii."
21. And they do not do it heedlessly, but
they carefully cut a small piece nearly corre-
sponding to the dimensions of the object.

22. " Yueuetzian onmotla$a, ycacalaquian, ya-
aquian onmaquia, yn oncan omocuicuic teculli."
22. They coat over the salient parts and
cover the hollows, especially where the charcoal
has been carved.

23. " Tepiton quauhtontll ynic on moqalolluli ."
23. The wax is applied (to the charcoal) by
means of a bit of wood.

24. "Auh yniquac omocencauh yn ye nohuian
ytech omotlaU yn xicocuillatl, qatepan teculatl yxco
motcca yn ocicocuitlatl."
24. And when all is done in this manner, and
the wax is put on all parts of the charcoal, they
put pulverized charcoal on the surface of the
wax.

25. " Ud moled, mocuechlilia yn lecidatl, aclii
yxtilauac ynixco onmotcca xicocuillatl."
25. They grind the charcoal powder well, and
they spread a rather thick layer on the surface
of the wax.

26. " Aiih yn yc yiiliqnl yn omocencauh o(-

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

131

cepa ytcch mollalia tlape pccholoni yc moqnimi-
loua mocentlapachona."

26. And when all is prepared thus, they put
on it another covering; the shell which encom-
passes the mold and encloses it all over.

27. " Yn oyccauh tlachinaUi ynic moeopinas
teocuitlatL"

27. The making of the shell is the last of the
processes intended to give the gold its form.

28. " Ynihln tlapepeclioloni, qanno tecuU'i, no
tlaneloUi tlallzacutli, amo ciiechtic, qan papav&x-
iic."

28. This shell is also made of charcoal, mixed
with clay, but the charcoal is not finely ground,
only roughly crushed.

29. " Yniquac yc omopepecho ynic omocen-
quimilo tlacopinaloni, ocno omilhuitl yn uaqui."

29. When the mold is enclosed and encom-
passed by the shell, they let it dry for two more
days.

30. "Auk qatepan ytech motlalia ytoca anilloil,
qanno xicocititlatl."

30. Then they put on the spout, which is
made of wax also, (encompassed by a shell).

31. " Yehoatl ynipiazyo inochimiya tccnitlatl
ynic oman calnqiii yniqnac oatix."

31. The latter serves as a drainage canal, by
which the melted gold enters.

32. "Anh yoan occcpa ypan mom-ana mollalia
ytoca tlacaxxotl, Qanno tec nil i yn llacliinaUi tla-
comololli."

32. And then they place the crucible on the

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132

GOLD SMITH'S. ART

ground, which is also made of charcoal (and of
clay) and which is hollow.

33. "Niman yuhmati motlalia yn tcciilli."
33. In like manner they set out the (mold,
with its shell, both made of) charcoal.

34. "Oncan mocaxxotia matilia yn teocni flail,
ynic qatepan calaqui ylech anillotl, ynic one an
nwpiazyotia,ynic on tot oca tlaticpa on noqnihui."
34. It is there where the gold is melted, in
order then to enter the spout, and being con-
ducted by the latter, to flow below and run out.

35. "Auh yniquac omopitz yn $OQO tleyn coz-
catl oyecauh yn izqui tlamantli nican omoteneuli,
niman yc mopetlaua yea texcalli."
35. And when it is melted and run into the

mold, and when, for example, they have manu-
factured a collar, or one of the various objects
mentioned in this chapter, they polish it by
means of a stone.

36. "Auh yn omopetlauh yenocuele motlaho-
cohuia"

36. And when it is polished, they put it in
an alum bath.

37. "Moteci yn tlalxocotl yc maalfia yc tuo-
mamatiloua yn teocuitlatl yn omopitz"
37. They grind the alum, and they soak in
it and wash with it the gold jewel which they
have cast.

38. "Oppa yn tleco calaqui ypan mololonla."
38. A second time they put it in the fire, and
heat it inside.

39. "Auh yn oualquiz occeppa ycnocuclc yc

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS 133

maaltia yc momamatiloua yloca teocuitlapatli,

qaninhqui tlacoztli moneloua achiton iztall yc

mocencaua yc cenca coztic mochiua yn teocuitlatl."

39. And when it comes out of the fire, they

bathe it a second time, and smear it with oint-

ment of gold, which is composed of muddy

earth mixed with a little salt, by means of which

the gold becomes beautiful and very yellow.

40. " Auh qatepan yc mopetlana motecpakuia

yc uel mocencaua, ynic yequene uellanextia pepe-

llaca motona meyotia."

40. And thus they rub and polish and make

beautiful the jewel, so that it becomes very

brilliant, resplendent, and radiant.

41. " Mitoua yye uecauh qan oc yeh yn coztic

icocuitlatl nenca yn mahuiltiaya, yn quipitzaya

tecuitlauaque yn quichiuaya cozcatl yoan quitzot-

zonaya yn quicanauaya teocuitlatzotzonque ynitech

moneqnia tlahuizlli."

41. They narrate that formerly there was

only the gold; that it was only the gold which

they used and that the goldsmiths poured it in

the mold and formed of it collars, and that the

smiths hammered it, and flattened it and made

of it the embossed work which served for all

kinds of military devices of which there was

need.

42. " Ayatle catca yn iztac teocuitlatl, tel on-

nenca qanoc canin neqia vel nwtlaqotlaya."

42. Silver did not exist, except in the places

where it was found (like natural silver), and it

was greatly valued.

43. "Anh yn ax can yenocuele qammache yn

AND MONOGRAPHS

l.U GOLDSMITH'S ART

I iztac teocmtlatl qnincqu-i, yn cozrix yc ucl moll a- '

\gotla."

43. But now they use only silver (for trink-

ets), for the gold is too valuable.

44. "In ycJioantin teacuitlauaque, yn tlcpitz-

qnc voan vn tlatzotzonqiic, vn acxan vc tlachichiua

no qnincqiii vn chichi tic tcpiiztli."

44. Now, the goldworkers, the founders, and

the smiths, if they manufacture some jewel.

employ copper for it as well.

45. " Tel Qan llayxycyccoUi llatamachiimUi

ynipan qmthiqa yztac tcocuitlatl, yc qalla yc

chiclia."

45. But they add to the silver only a moder-

! ate and measured quantity, which alloys itself

with it.

46. "Auk yntla qan mlxcahui mopilza yztac

teocuitlatl, Qan 'tlallnpaca tzatzayani yn llachiualli.'"

46. And if the gold is cast without alloying

the work is broken up.

47. "A»io ucl nohitianpa •monanamiqni moca-

camapiqitl yn otic an- gafaliuktiuk yc tlatlatla- !

inachilli."

47. And the reliefs which are welded on it i

are not attached on all sides nor without cracks.

48. "Aiih yn ychoantin teocn-itlatzotzonqnc yn

ye necaith qan qnixcahniaya yn teocuitlatl quit-

zotzonaya."

48. Likewise the ancient goldsmiths neither

worked nor hammered out any other metal

than gold.

49. "Qnitzotzonaya quitcalaua qiiipcllaini yoan 1
quitcycuiloita t! it an pa."

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC G O L D S M I T H S 135

49. After they had beaten the gold, they

polished it and furbished it and put designs on it,

conforming to the tracings of the drawing.

50. "Achtopa quimicuiUiniaya yn amanteca"

50. In the first place they asked the feather-

workers to trace the design for them.

51. "Aiih fate pan yehoantin quiteycuilouaya

yea tecpatl."

51. Then they themselves put on the design

by means of a stone point.

52. u Quitotocatihui yn tlilantli ynic tlatecpay-

cuiloita."

52. In putting on the design by means of the

stone point, they followed the trace.

53. " Qnitotomoloua quitotomolotihui ytech can-

tihui yn quenami machiotl."

53. They made corrugations, keeping always

to the model.

54. "Caneyo yuh tlachichma yn axcan ynic

cana monequi ynllachiual."

54. In the same manner they work today,

especially where one has need of their works.

55. " Aqo yhuillacuilolli yhiiitlacJiiualli ytech

monequi quinepahuia qmmottitia yn amanteca

vnic quitetequi vn quexquich quinamictiuh yhuit-

lachiualli."

55. And if by chance they need a piece of

feather- work, they address themselves to the

feather-workers, who cut out all kinds of work

in feathers which are presented to them.

56. "In axcan ye yc tlachichiua teocuitlaua-

qiie."

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136

GOLDSMITH'S ART

.

56. Today the goldsmiths work in the fol-
lowing manner.

57. "Quinequi yn xalli yn xalpitzauac."
57. They wish to search for fine sand.

58. "C ale pan quiteci ud quicuechoua no qni-
neloua yn tlaltzacutli."
58. Then they grind it very finely and mix
it with the clay.

59. "Niman yc quimana qanoquluhqul qui-
qoquitlalia ynic ypan quiqaz ynic mocopinaz yn
qac,o tleyn quichiuazque."
59. They fashion the clay according to that
which is to be represented, whatever may be the
object that they wish to manufacture, and they
put the pieces out on the ground.

60. " Auh omilhuitl yn uaqui."
60. They let them dry for two days.

61. " Yniquac oueluac qatepan tapalcatica
michchichiqui mixichiqui motapalcahnia mota-

palcachichiqui ynic mixxipetzoua."
61. When the piece is quite dry, they scrape
the entire surface by means of a potsherd, so that
it becomes very smooth.

62. "Niman yc maxima mocuicui tepuzhuic-
iica yniuh omoteneuh cecni."
62. Then the piece is shaped and cut out by
means of a scraper of copper, as was related
elsewhere.

63. "A $0 omilhuiil anoqo eylhnitl yn mocen-
caiiit \n mo\cctllia- \n moved alia."
63. In two or three days, they bring the in-
dicated operations to an end.

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

137

64. " Yniquac amocencauh, niman tecidlall
yxco moteca yoan tzacutli yc onixxipctzihui."
64. When all is ready, they spill some pul-
verized charcoal on the surface, producing a
smooth surface by means of the paste.

65. " Yc niman mopaua^i yn xicocuitlatl mone-
!oua yn iztac copalli yniuh omoleneuh."
65. They boil the wax, and they add to it
the white copal, as has been described before.

66. " Yn oceuh yn omoyecti niman mocanaua
ytztapaltepan quammatica momimiloua yc."
66. And when the wax has become cold and
when it has become clarified, they thin it out
and roll it out on a flat stone by means of a
wooden roller.

67. "Niman ylech moilalia ytech moqaloua yn
llatlalilli qoquitl ynic mocopinaz teocuitlatl yn
Qaqo tleyn mochiuaz."
67. Then they apply the wax on the surface
of the clay mold which is to be cast in gold,
whatever may be the object that they wish to
manufacture, and they bind it to it.

68. " Yn aqo jarro anoqo tlapopochhuiloni yn
qnitocayotia perfomador."
68. It may be that they wish to make a jug
or a scent box that is called a perfomador.

69. " Ye micuiloua yc mollatlamachia yn
qiialli tlacuilolli."
69. They furnish it with beautiful designs
(worked in wax).

70. "Occenca ye qnimati yn xicucuitlatl oc-
ccnca ye tlahuica ynic tlacuihlo ynic toltccatiua."

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138 -

GOLDSMITH'S ART

70. For the wax lends itself to this better
(than clay), and it is more easily worked and
modeled into designs.

71. " Cotel achto cecni mocopina yn xicucuillall
yniquftc ond mocencauh ypan on mopachona yn
llacopinaloni."

71. For this reason they make, in the first
place, a copy of the relief in wax separately,
and when the body of the mold is made, they
press (the replica of the relief in wax) on the
mold.

72. "Ca onca ca ycopinaloca yn ixqnich tla-
machlli."

-72. For the wax is the material with which
one can form each detail of design.

73. " Yn CIQO totoatlapalli toiocuitlapilli GUOQO
xochiil anoQO quilatlapalli, yn QMO tleyn qual-
nezqui tlacuildli."

73. It may be a wing, it may be the tail of a
bird, it may be a flower, it may be a leaf, a
handsome ornament of some sort.

74. " Yc onmopachotiuh yc mi mo$alotinJi
qnauhlontli quitocayotia quauhuiisli."

74. They press the wax against the surface
of the mold and affix it there by means of a
small bit of wood called qiiaidini'tz/li (thorn of
wood, point of wood).

75. " A$o omilhuitl yn yedia yn moyccttalia"

75. In about two days all is completed.

76. " Yniquac omocencauh yn onohnlanpa
moqalo xicocnitlatl, niman yc yxco woteca vn
teculail"

76. When all is done in this manner and the

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS 139

wax lias been affixed on the entire surface of
the mold, they coat it over with pulverized
charcoal.

77. " Yn ouac yenocuele ytech motlalla yn
tlapepecholoni yn qan papayaxtic teculli ynic
mocenqmmiloua yn tlacopinalom'."
77. After it has become dry, they put the
shell on it, made of charcoal coarsely crushed
(mixed with clay), and enclose the mold with it.

78. " AQO omilhuitl yn uaqni."
78. For about two days, they let it dry.

79. "Niman yc ytech onmotlalia yn xicocuit-
lall ynitoca anillotl mimiltic."
79. Then they put on it the cylinder of wax,
called aniUotl (spout).

80. " Achtopa moniimiloua, yehoatl ypiazyo
mochhia yn teocuitlatl ynic oncan cala-qni."
80. At first they roll it (to give it a cylindri-
cal form) ; it serves as a drainage canal by which
the gold enters.

81. " Auh yn omotlali anillotl, yenocuele ypan
momamana yn tlacaxxotl yn oncan antieq teo-
cuitlatl."
81. And when the spout is so placed, they
put the crucible in which the gold will be melted,
out on the ground.

82. " Yniquac ye yuhqui yn amochi omoccn-
cauh, niman yc tleco motlalia mocentotonia."
82. After everything is done in this manner
they put everything in the fire, and they heat it.

83. "Oncan qu'iQa oncan tlatla yn xicocuitlal
yn tlatic omotlalica."

AND MONOGRAPHS

140

GOLDSMITH'S ART

83. It is at this point that the wax which is

inside, comes out and is consumed.

84. " Yniquac oquiz yn otlatlac xicocuillatl,

niman mocehma yc yenocuele pani on moteca yn

xalli qa papayaxtic."

84. When the wax has come out and when

it has been consumed, they allow the mold to

cool again and they place it on a bed of coarse

sand.

#5. " Yquac yequene mopitza oncan oncalaqui

yn tlccomic ypan onmatlalia yn teculli."

85. Immediately afterward they turn to the

melting (process). They put and place in the

pot the charcoal (the mold composed of clay

and charcoal).

86. "Auh yn teocuitlatl yn oncan calaquiz

nonqua tlcmaco matilia."

86. The gold which it is intended to put in,

they liquefy separately in a spoon.

87. "Onca tlami yh ynic yecahui tlachiualli."

87. Thus the work is ended, the task is done.

88. "Auh yn otlacat yn omopitz yn oquiz

tlachiualli, niman motlaxxocohui tepuzcaxic ypan

moquaqualatza"

88. And when the object is made, in order

that it be melted and flow out of the crucible.

they put it in a bath, prepared with a solution

of alum in a copper vessel and they boil it.

89. "Auh yntla cana otzaizayan oyyllacanh

tlafhiualli, qaniyoca oncan mopapatia yc moqa-

loua yn tla^aloloni."

89. And if the object is broken in some part,

INDIAN NOTES

AZTEC GOLDSMITHS

. 141

or if it is cracked, they mend separately the

damaged sections and they solder on the broken

part.

90. " Auh qatepan yc michiqui yn timate-

puztli yc mopetlaua."

90. Then they scrape it and polish it by

means of an instrument of copper.

91. "Occeppa tlalxocotitlan calaqui motlaxxo-

cohuia."

91. And they immerse it in another alum

bath.

92. " Yc sate pan mocencaua motecpahuia ynic

net mopetlaua."

92. Finally they polish it and furbish it so

that it becomes very brilliant.

Seler summarizes the information con-

tained in this chapter as follows:

"The contents of the preceding chapter show
that the ancient Mexicans understood and ex-

ercised the two separate branches of the art of

gold-working, that is to say, smithing and

founding. They beat the metal by means of a

stone and embossed it by means of a pointed

instrument of stone. These objects manufac-

tured by the smiths served principally for mili-

tary devices worked in feathers.

"As to founding, it is necessary to distinguish

between the two methods of working, an ancient

one (antedating the Conquest), and a modern

one (of the period of Spanish influence). The

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142

GOLDSMITH'S ART

former was more artistic and of superior skill;
the latter was coarser. The ancient people
made the mold from a mixture of clay and of
charcoal, finely ground, which they let dry and
harden in the sun. It was a material which lent
itself admirably to cutting and sculpture. But
the ancient workers cut and sculptured all the
details of the object to be cast, directly in this
material, and before putting the shell on it. they
covered this mold, carved in charcoal, with a
thin layer of wax, which they made follow all
reliefs and hollows. They cut out and sculp-
tured the charcoal by means of a copper instru-
ment.

"The modern workers constructed the mold
of a mixture of clay and sand, which they too
let dry in the sun. But it seems that they
worked in this material only on general forms
for the object to be cast, and that they con-
tented themselves with executing the detailed
ornamentation in wax, with which they covered
the mold. They covered the object with a
thin, smooth layer of pulverized charcoal. The
shell itself was made of a mixture of clay and of
charcoal coarsely crushed. A cylinder of wax
(enclosed in the shell) served as the drainage
canal. By heating the mold in the fire they
made the wax run out. Then they placed the
mold in a vessel, and poured in the gold, which
they melted in a spoon (of clay mixed with
charcoal?). The jewel being cast, they dipped
the object in an alum bath, then they rubbed it
\vith a mixture of muddy earth and salt, and
polished it.""

INDIAN NOTES

OAXACA JEWELS

143

GOLD JEWELS FROM THE STATE OF

OAXACA

According to Bernal Diaz, when the

southern part of Mexico, especially that

now comprised by the state of Oaxaca, was

first settled by the Spaniards, Figueroa,

an officer among the conquerors, was sent

by Cortes to Quaxaca (Oaxaca) to subdue

the Zapotecs. Instead of so doing, —

"he determined to undertake the excavation of

the graves in the burial places of the caciques

of those provinces, for he found in them a great

quantity of golden jewels which it was the cus-

tom in olden days to bury with the chieftains

of those pueblos, and he attained such dexterity

that he took out from them over five thousand

pesos de oro, in addition to other jewels irom. the

[the text reads, dos, 'two'] towns, so he deter-

mined to abandon the conquest."

In no other part of Mexico have been

found so many objects of gold as in Oaxaca.

All of these objects have been discovered

accidentally by the Indians, who have

encountered tombs while digging wells, or

in making excavations to secure earth for

molding adobe bricks, or when plowing;

or they have been disclosed by heavy

AND MONOGRAPHS

144 GOLDSMITH'S ART

showers during the rainy season. Unfor-
tunately the greater part of these objects
has gone to the melting-pot.

During the extended operations of the
Loubat Expedition in the winters of 1898
to 1902, in the valley of Oaxaca and the
ruins of Mitla, not a single specimen of
gold was found by the writer.

For many years the late Dr Fernando
Sologuren, of the city of Oaxaca, was
active in making a collection of Zapotecan
and Mixtecan antiquities, which became
the most valuable private collection in
Mexico, and was later purchased by the
National Museum of Mexico. During
repeated trips to southern Mexico it was
the writer's privilege to make studies of
the objects in the collection, and to take
numerous photographs of the more impor-
tant pieces which it contained.

Only during recent years have any of
the numerous gold objects thus accidentally
discovered been preserved. In 1831, a
native, while tilling the ground on the
mountain called "Sombrerito," about half
a league from the town of Huajuapan, in

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE — GOLD ORNAMENTS

PL. Ill-

GOLD RINGS FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA

OAXACA JEWELS

145

northwestern Oaxaca, discovered a tomb
which contained human bones, pottery,
gold beads, and finger-rings. Two of the
finger-rings were illustrated in the Museo
Mexicano in 1843,63 and later were illus-
trated and described by Penafiel.64 The
largest ring was lately in the possession of
Mr Agustin Doorman of the City of
Mexico. The drawing on pi. HI, a, is from
a photograph of the original specimen;
it is decorated with a human face, and from
above the left ear a good-sized bell hangs
pendent. At first glance this ring appears
to be made in filigree, but closer examina-
tion reveals that it was cast. It is 1.9 cm.
in diameter, and at the highest part it is
of the same dimension. Taken as a whole,
the workmanship is rather crude, and it
does not compare favorably with most of
the gold jewels from Oaxaca.

The other ring is shown on pi. in, e, made
from a photograph of the original, now in
possession of Mr Homer E. Sargent, of
Chicago. It is filigree in appearance, but
was made by casting, and is of much finer
workmanship than the larger ring. Its

AND MONOGRAPHS

N. M.— 2

146 GOLDSMITH'S ART

dimensions are 1.8 cm. in diameter and
1.2 cm. high. Fig. b of the same plate
represents a finger-ring, now in England,
with the design spread out; it resembles
the Oaxaca rings and was illustrated by
Joyce,65 but with no information as to the
region in which it was found in Mexico.
It belongs to the Oaxaca type of gold orna-
ments, and probably came from Oaxaca.
Joyce states that it has the appearance of
gold wire, but "the reverse side shows
plainly that the greater portion has been
cast solid."

Among the notes of the late Dr Valentini,
the Mexicanist, I mid certain drawings
made by Dr Berendt, herein reproduced
as pi. m, c, d. These represent the side
and front views, natural size, of a beautiful
finger-ring, with the head of an eagle pro-
jecting from the front. From these sketches
it is evident that this ring is more elaborate
in design and skilful in workmanship than
the two from Huajuapan, although pre-
serving the same general filigree style.
A note from Berendt states that the ring is
from the Zapoteca (Oaxaca), but the exact

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GOLD ORNAMENT FROM THE VICINITY OF TEHUANTEPEC.
STATE OF O AX AC A

OAXACA JEWELS 147

locality where it was discovered is not
given, nor do we know where this important
specimen is now preserved. The splendid
ring shown in pi. in, /, 2 cm. in height, has
been illustrated by both Penafiel66 and
Batres. G7 It is made in imitation of filigree,
and was collected for the Museo Nacional
of Mexico by Batres, who classes it as of
Toltecan origin. In all its details the ring
is distinctly Zapotecan in character, and it
probably came from Oaxaca. Either this
ring or an exact duplicate is now in the
University Museum at Philadelphia.

The most notable find of gold objects
reported in Mexico in modern time was made
in Oaxaca in 1875. Some of the specimens
discovered have been described and figured
by Teobert Maler.68 At the little village
of San Sebastian, near the town of Tehuan-
tepec, some Indians, engaged in repairing
a house, made an excavation in order to
secure earth for making adobe bricks.
They came upon an ancient tomb con-
taining gold jewels to the value of two
thousand pesos, copper objects, stone beads,

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

shells, ornaments, and painted pottery
vessels. All of the gold objects, with the
exception of four pieces, were sold and
melted down. These four pieces were seen
by Maler, in the house of Don Gregorio
Toledo in Tehuantepec, and the drawings
published by him were made from a photo-
graph given him by the American Consul.
The most interesting piece is described by
Chavero69 (see pi. iv) as representing a dead
and embalmed king, with a crown of
feathers on the head, a shield in the left
hand, and a scepter in the right. Pendants
hang from the ears, and in the lower lip is
a labret, to which is attached, by a long
ring, a mask that hangs over the breast.
It is a human face, with three pendent
bells, two being attached to the ear-orna-
ments, and one placed between them.
It measures 8| cm. in height. Maler states
that the effigy was purchased by Mr
Thomas Clayton, Paymaster of H. M. S.
Phantom, and it should be now somewhere
in England. The second piece, which is
the largest, being 1 1 \ cm. high, is supposed
to represent the face of a woman (pi. v) .

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GOLD ORNAMENT FROM THE VICINITY OF TEHUANTEPEC.
STATE OF OAXACA

(British Museum)

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149

From it hang four pendants, each composed
of four articulated sections, the lower one
being a bell. This object has been recently
illustrated by Joyce70 and is now in the
British Museum. The other two specimens
are in the Ethnographical Museum in
Berlin.71 The third piece (pi. vi, ft), 9 cm.
high, represents an eagle's head against an
openwork filigree wheel, from which hangs
a small engraved plate, with four articu-
lated pendants of two sections, the lower
one of each being a bell. The fourth
specimen (pi. VI, a) represents a turtle
(Chavero calls it a lizard), 8 cm. high, from
which hang two articulated pendants in
two sections, the lower of which is a bell,
as in the other ornaments above described.
This object was formerly the property of
Mr J. Phillips, Consul-general of Portugal
in Mexico. There can be no doubt that
these jewels were buried with some dis-
tinguished priest o*r chief, and belong to the
Zapotecan culture.

Other gold ornaments with pendent
bells are shown on pi. vn.72 The largest
(a) represents a human face set in the beak

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150 GOLDSMITH'S ART

of a bird placed on the upper edge of a thin
plate. Below, attached to rings, are four
flat links, each with a small ring attached,
from which depend long bells. The
pendants and bells are like those of the
specimen shown on.pl. v. This ornament
is in the Sologuren collection and was found
in Oaxaca. PI. vn, b, represents, accord-
ing to Batres, an ear-ornament;73 it was
collected by Batres, and is in the Museo
Nacional of Mexico. Batres does not give
its location, but states that it is of Toltecan
origin. From its general style it would
seem to be of Zapotecan derivation, though
the design probably represents a conven-
tionalized butterfly. The ornament has
three bells attached by rings, but without
the intervening links observed in the other
specimens just described. The last piece
(pi. vii, c) was collected by the writer in
Oaxaca, and is now in the American Museum
of Natural History; it was found with a
similar object in a tomb in the valley of
Oaxaca, and from the perforations through
the back part of the upper section would
seem to have been sewed to a garment, or

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GOLD ORNAMENTS FROM THE VICINITY OF TEHUANTEPEC,

STATE OF OAXACA
Ethnographical Museum of Berlin

OAXACA JEWELS

151

it may have formed an car-ornament* (two
having been found in the same grave) that
in use was fastened by two wires or threads.
The object has a bell attached by a ring.
It is the last piece of this class which we
have to describe.
Among the most important objects of the
Sologuren collection is the beautiful brooch-
like jewel represented natural size in colors
on pi. i. It was discovered in 1903 in a

^

FIG. 7.

tomb in Pueblo Vie jo, . Yanhuitlan, in the
Mixteca. The Indian from whom it was
obtained stated that a skeleton was found in
the burial chamber; the eyes were covered
with thin gold discs, 2.8 cm. in diameter,
while over the mouth was a hemispherical,
slightly concave piece of thin gold, 4. 7 cm. in
length, with a perforation in the center (fig. 7).
The brooch, which was found on the chest
of the skeleton, represents a shield, the

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

chimalli of the Mexicans, with arrows or
darts, and pendant bells. It is 5.5 cm.
in diameter, while the length of the arrows
or darts is 8.3 cm. The thickness of the
rim of the shield is 5 mm. Around the rim
is a scalloped decoration of gold wire.
Attached to the lower part of the shield
are eleven long, slender bells, averaging
2.3 cm. in length. In the illustration
eleven bells are shown, but there are places
for the attachment of two others on the
rear part, which are not shown in the
illustration. The missing bells were re-
moved by the Indian who found the jewel.
The center of the shield represents a
well-known Mexican hieroglyph, surrounded
by a mosaic of turquoise. The pieces
forming this mosaic were unfortunately
loosened and displaced by the Indian, with
the exception of one piece, but were fitted
together after the purchase of the shield
by Sologuren, as shown in the plate. The
four arrows, or darts, cross the back of the
shield vertically, the fore and rear shafts
projecting from each side. The hafting of
the points with wire to the foreshafts, and

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OAXACA JEWELS

153

the feathering near the nock of the shaft,
are clearly indicated. The combination of
four arrows and thirteen bells is significant,
recalling the four year-bearers, thirteen
times repeated during the century of fifty-
two solar years. This jewel may be
properly called the escutcheon or heraldic
emblem of the cacique or warrior on whose
chest it was found.

An analogous gold jewel in the form of a
shield with arrows is shown on pi. vm.
It is from a codex bound in a volume of
manuscripts from Lord Kingsborough's
collection in the British Museum, bearing
the title, "Description de Indias," tome
no. 13964, being a collection of various
documents relating to Mexico which were
not included by Kingsborough in his monu-
mental work. As this codex is still un-
published, a brief notice of its history will
not be out of place. It was first made
known to students by the writer, who
examined it in 1908. The codex pertained
to Tepetlaoztoc, a town about two leagues
north of Texcoco in the valley of Mexico.
It is on European paper, dates from a

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154 GOLDSMITH'S ART

period immediately following the conquest,
and is one of the most beautifully executed
codices that has come down to us. There
are many pictures, in colors, of tributes of
gold jewels, feather ornaments, and mantles,
as well as portraits of the conquerors,
accompanied with a text in Spanish giving
an explanation of the paintings. The
writer communicated the news of its
existence to the Due de Loubat, who in
turn notified Troncoso. At the Congress
of Americanists held in London in 1912, the
codex was exhibited to the members, and a
paper was presented by Troncoso (in
abstract owing to his absence) describing
the codex, in which, in honor of the great
Englishman, he called it the "Codex Kings-
borough."74 At that time Troncoso sent
to London at least two copies of a gelatin
reproduction of the codex, in black and
white, one of which was presented to the
British Museum and the other to Professor
Seler. The writer was promised a copy by
Troncoso when the other copies were com-
pleted, but it does not appear that the work
was ever carried out. Later, Mr W. E.

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5 2

0 t

1 oc

D OQ

OAXACA JEWELS

155

Gates had the manuscript photographed,
and several copies were made from the
plates. He calls it the "Codex Tepez-
tlaustuc."75 Recently Miss Annie Hunter
has made an exact copy in colors for the
Peabody Museum' at Cambridge, and we
are indebted to Professor Tozzer for per-
mission to use it. Our reproduction of the
jewel is from a tracing kindly made by Mr
S. K. Lothrop. This manuscript seems to
be the work to which Brinton calls atten-
tion in his "Aboriginal American Authors,"
published in 1883, in which that writer
calls on the savants of Spain to locate it,
deriving his information of its existence from
the 1738 edition of Leon Pinelo's "Biblio-
teca Occidental." This citation seems to
have been overlooked by Troncoso. The
title of the manuscript as given by Leon
Pinelo is, "Memorial del Pueblo de Tep-
tlaus tuque en la Nueva Espana; en que se
refiere su Origen, i Poblacion, i de los Tri-
butes, i Servicios, antes, i despues de la
Conquista; todo pintado, i M.S."76 It was
at that time (1738) in the library of the
King of Spain. As the diligent search for

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156

GOLDSMITH'S ART

| material in Madrid made by Sr del Paso y
|Troncoso and others during many years
failed to bring this codex to light in that
famous library, it seems probable "that the
Kingsborough copy is the original, although,
until a search is made in the King's library,
there is the possibility that it is a copy
made for Kingsborough, and that the
original manuscript still rests in some
obscure recess of the library in the Royal
Palace.

The jewel, represented on folio 223 of the
codex, is quite similar to .the one from
Oaxaca, just described. It has within the
disc the same hieroglyph, placed vertically
instead of horizontally, as in the Oaxaca
specimen. It is painted yellow, with blue
between the two sections of the design, and
red outside. The encircling band of the
shield has a mosaic of nine pieces, respec-
tively red, yellow, and blue. The entire
disc is surrounded by twenty-three articu-
lated bells, like sleigh-bells in shape.
Hanging below are eight long pendants
attached to the outer rim of the shield.
Extending from the left side are the fore-

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WARRIOR BEARING MOSAIC SHIELD
(After the Tribute Roll of Montezuma)

OAXACA JEWELS

157

Shafts of four arrows or darts. Through
some oversight Jive rather long rear-shafts
are represented extending from the oppo-
site side. • The width of the fore and rear
shafts are the same, and it seems evident
that the artist drew the outline of one too
many rear shafts in making the drawing.
Above the jewel is the caption, "Esta es la
joya de oro que le dieron mas de los que eran
obligados."

There are many illustrations of this
hieroglyph on shields in the Mexican
codices. PL ix is taken from the Tribute
Roll of Montezuma, contained in the Men-
doza Codex.77 On this page of the codex
are painted representations of the four
principal chiefs of the Aztecan army, each
being of one of the great quarters or wards
(calpulli] into which Tenochtitlan (City
of Mexico), the .capital of Montezuma,
was divided. The southwestern ward was
named Tecoyahualco, and its chief, shown
on pi. ix, was Ticocyahuacatl, who is
depicted with a shield of the same design as
the jewel, the patterns on the shields of
the three other chiefs being different.

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

In the atlas accompanying the "Historia
de las Indias de Nueva Espana," by Duran,
are two plates showing a captive warrior
tied to the lemalacatl (a large flat circular
stone with a hole in the center), through
which a rope was passed, in combat with
a warrior clad in a tiger-skin and bearing
a shield with the same device. They are
both armed with maquahuitls, the saw-
sword or stick of hardwood with rows of
obsidian knives on each edge.

In other parts of the Tribute Roll are
numerous representations of the same
design on the shields which formed part of
the yearly tribute levied by Montezuma,
to be paid by hotland provinces. The
decoration depending from the shields is in
all cases rich green feathers. One example
is shown on pi. x, b, which is typical of
this class of shields, accompanied by the
suit and standard worn by the warrior.78
On the same plate (a) is the representation
of a warrior with this type of shield, taken
from the Humboldt collection of Mexican
paintings in Berlin.79 Another example, from
an original painting in the Museo Nacional

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PAINTINGS OF MOSAIC SHIELDS
(After Mexican Codices)

OAXACA JEWELS 159

of Mexico, bears the same design;80 it is
figured on pi. xi, b. On the same plate
(a) is a drawing of an original feather-
mosaic shield now in the Museum of
Stuttgart;81 it bears the same pattern and
is placed vertically on the disc, and re-
versed to that of the Codex Kingsborough.
This shield probably formed part of the
loot sent by Cortes to Europe, although its
history is lost.

We are fortunate in having an explana-
tion of the meaning of this design in the
Tribute Roll of Montezuma, above referred
to. In the Lorenzana edition, pi. n is the
record of payment of twenty shields with
this pattern. Below is the inscription,
" Vestido de plumas para de media cuerpo
abaxo" (Garment of feathers for the lower
part of the body). On other pages of the
same codex it is called "military insignia."
Above the shield is the Nahuatl legend,
"Quilzalxi calcolihuhqui." The first word
should be quetzal instead of quilzal, and
refers to the hanging quetzal feathers.
Xicalcoliuhqui is the name of the design.
The etymology of the word is xicalli (jicara),

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

calabash, or gourd; coliuhqui, crooked,
;bent, twisted; hence the crooked or double
calabash, or water gourd, is represented in
a conventional manner in the design or
hieroglyph. The crooked or double gourd
for water has been carried from time
immemorial by Mexican and Central Ameri-
can Indians, and are even now an ever-
present article of use in every Indian hut.

FIG. 8.

FIG. 9.

Further corroboration of the meaning of
the hieroglyph is found in another Mexican
codex, in the National Library at Florence,
Italy. It was first reproduced in facsimile
and published in 1903 by the University
of California, under the direction of Mrs
Zelia Nuttall,8-5 who brought it to light, and
the Due de Loubat issued another edition
in 1904. 83 A number of pages of this codex

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MOSAIC FEATHER SHIELDS
(a, In the Stuttgart Museum; b, Painting after a Mexican Codex)

OAXACA JEWELS 161

are devoted to patterns of

mantas or gar-

ments of the

ancient Mexicans. On pages

5 and 6 are xicalcoliuhqui patterns (figs. 8

and 9) , which

are explained as "mania dc

xicara titerta" or "mantle with the crooked

gourd pattern." There is still another

manta pattern of this design in the Codex

Kingsborough

(fig. 10). The meaning of

«

^ — >

.

FIG. 10.

-

this conventional fret or grecque is thus

made clear. In other instances the grecque

may be derived from the coiled serpent, and

again, in Mexican art, there seems reason

to suppose that the spiral of the conch-

shell might be indicated in this conven-

tional form.

In all events we here have

a pretty clear explanation from two sources

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

giving the gourd as the derivation of the
design as used on the shields, which might
just as well be derived from either the spiral
of a conch or the coil of a snake. This
sounds the caution which should be em-
ployed by the student of ancient American
art in attributing certain designs to a single
motive, when the same pattern might be
derived from one or more other motives.
In pi. xi are presented three analogous
designs suggestive of the xicalcoliuhqui.
The first outline (a) is a portion of the
grecque design, in highly conventionalized
form, of the stone mosaic-work of the walls
of the Temple of the Columns at Mitla.
The same motive at Mitla has been worked
out by Gordon84 in his series of climan-
kistron patterns as a direct evolution from
the serpent motive. The next figure (ft)
shows the decoration around the rim of a
bowl from Texcoco, in the valley of Mexico,
in which the resemblance to the xicalcoliuh-
qui design is very close. Figure c of the
same plate is a grecque pattern from the
wall of the Cruciform Tomb at Mitla, dis-
covered by the Loubat Expedition;85 it bears

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SAVILLE — GOLD ORNAMENTS

V

A

~L

.V

PATTERNS RESEMBLING DESIGNS ON MOSAIC SHIELDS

OAXACA JEWELS

163

close resemblance to the design we are con-
sidering, and is the only example with the
triangular pieces, characteristic of the
xicalcoliuhqui design, which we have found
at Mitla. Scores of other examples of
this design in Mexico and Central America
might be given, but these suffice to indicate
its widespread use in this part of America,
and to identify it with a degree of certainty,
at least in the region of the influence of
Nahuan culture, as being derived from the
crooked gourd. Its use on shields, as we
have pointed out, was restricted to great
warriors, and even to one of the four great
war-chiefs of Montezuma. Hence the
beautiful brooch or jewel must have been
buried with a very important chief, and it
may correspond, in a way, to the croix de
guerre and other military decorations with
which we are so familiar at this time.

In the notes of Valentin! is the sketch
by Berendt of another gold specimen from
Oaxaca, here reproduced (pi. xm, 6) , show-
ing the profile of a human face attached to
a bar. In a note by Berendt it is said to
have been from the Zapoteca. In exam-

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164

GOLDSMITH'S ART

ining the works of Batres and Penafiel we
found the front-view illustration of a
specimen in the Museo Nacional of Mexico,
which is among the specimens Batres
states he brought to the Museum. 86 In
comparing the.Berendt drawing with that
of this specimen (see pi. xni, 0), it will be
readily seen that the two represent the same
object, and we may be certain that it is a
product of Zapotecan art, notwithstanding
the assertion of Penafiel that, "concerning
its Aztec origin we have not the slightest
doubt, because, it represents the god of
night, Tzontemoc" It is a beautiful
example of this type of the goldsmith's
art, representing a human face with an
ornament in the upper lip and hanging over
the open mouth, and showing a band
extending across the face. The elaborate
headdress is of the filigree style.

On pi. xiv we have copied from the paper
of Dr Nicolas Leon87 the filigree-like
human figure which he has illustrated,
but without description or location, except
that it is from Oaxaca. We are here
reminded of the figure from Vera Cruz

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GOLD ORNAMENTS FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA
(Mu-^eo Nacional, Mexico)

- ~ — c —

O AX AC A JEWELS

165

illustrated on pi. xxi, to which further

reference will be made.

The next object of this general class

(pi. xv, a) is one of the most important

pieces from the entire Oaxaca region, as

well as one of the most recent to come to

light. We quote in extenso from the re-

port of Louis M. N. Forsyth concerning

the discovery of this and of other objects

in the same region. In his paper on Aztec

ruins in southern Mexico,88 Forsyth illus-

trates five gold objects, another made of

gold and silver, as well as two silver turtles.

These specimens were found in the vicinity

of Teotitlan del Camino, in the northern

part of the state of Oaxaca, near the

boundary of Pueblo and Vera Cruz. This

author writes:

"A gold idol mask found in El Fuerte of

Teotitlan is of soft gold, about 1 in. high, and

of delicate workmanship fpl. xv, a]. It is com-

posed of two metals — gold and silver, one-half

the face (I believe the left side) being of gold, the

other half of silver; the parts do not appear to

be soldered together, so closely and perfectly

are they joined; the whole work is cleverly done.

no trace of tools being visible. The figure must

have been first cast and afterward polished.

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166 GOLDSMITH'S ART

The crown is especially interesting, as it is very
high, and the details of the decoration are dis-
tinct; the sides of the face seem to be covered
with a mantle ornamented with designs. Its
face has a long, crooked nose, is absolutely
expressionless, and on the whole rather resembles
an Egyptian figure. It is a mere shell; indeed,
all the figures, whether of gold, silver, or clay,
are hollow."

"In the same apartment that contained the
grave of the cacique, mentioned at the begin-
ning of Part I, the above figure and a number of
others were found, having been placed in a vase,
which contained a number of hollow gold skulls,
representing death masks, about ? in. high—
also cast figures as the rough edges on the inside
and back plainly indicate. The inside is black
and shows other signs that favor this conclusion.
Evidently the figure was cast before it was pol-
ished over; a hieroglyphic sign adorns each side
of the head near the ear. This vase also con-
tained several thin sheets of gold, each having
two holes at its upper end, which suggest their
being pendent ornaments such as earrings, and
the three lower figures in the illustration on
page 184, which are plainly earrings [see pi.
xvn, b-d}. With these were also some silver
turtles with rattles in them; a pair of gold
pinchers; a perfect copper needle; several copper
adzes or celts, one of which is herewith repro-
duced.

"All come from El Fuerte with the exception
of the needle, which is from a level foundation
cimiento or house site. These few figures I was
fortunate enough to see, but a great many others

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GOLD ORNAMENT FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA

OAXACA JEWELS

167

have been melted into gold rings and other

ornaments.

" A number of silver and other metallic figures

were found in the Mazatec country, which ad-

joins the region of Teotitlan and pertains to the

same district. These figures are, I suppose,

Aztec. The Mazatec country is not a mining

district, no ore-bearing rocks being found in

any section, with the possible exception of Maz-

atlan, which is near Teotitlan. Teotitlan is a

mining country; some of trie quartz outcrops

along the river banks of the Teotitlan river,

showing, by analysis of numerous specimens,

some lead, silver, and slight indications of gold;

and the mounds in which these gold figures were

found resemble in every respect the stone-roofed

mounds of the Teotitlan regions. It is, there-

fore, to be presumed that these metallic objects

of the Mazatec regions are of Aztec origin. If

such a connection is not well established, the

burden of proof would, at least, rest on any as-

sertion to the contrary."

In the same article Forsyth makes the

following observation:

"Notwithstanding that the mounds at Pueblo

Viejo near the Rio Salado were isolated, they were

important graves or houses, and must have been

opened about eighty years ago if not later, and

doubtless contained valuable relics, possibly of

gold and silver, for which reason they attracted

the attention of the treasure seekers. It is sur-

prising and regrettable how many important

finds have thus been made which, owing to the

AND MONOGRAPHS

168 GOLDSMITH'S ART

carelessness of the grave robbers or their igno-
rance, were melted into rings and other ornament s
that could be easily sold. I have seen dozens of
such rings made from rare gold idols. Another
reason why these figures are melted by the
finders is their fear of having them seized -by the
authorities, for the museums."

The region above described is occupied

by the Mazatecs, and their language,

according to Belmar, is to be classed as a

dialect of the Zapotecan tongue.

Forsyth's final observation, as said before.

is true not only of Mexico, but of all other

parts of Latin America where gold is found

in the graves. Priceless treasures of ancient

art have been destroyed for this reason.

We recall the statements of early writers

quoted in the first part of this paper regard-

ing the casting of objects in a single piece

of alternate sections of gold and silver.

The mask from near Teotitlan is the only

object of this class now known to the

writer from ancient Mexico.

An interesting bell from Tlaxiaco, in the

Mixteca (pi. xv, b), was collected by Dr

Seler and is now in Berlin. It represents a

monkey, with the hands grasping a rod

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GOLD ORNAMENTS FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA

OAXACA JEWELS

169

held over the head. There is a small ring
on the top of the head for attachment.
Another object representing the head of a
monkey, with pendent articulated ear-
ornaments, is shown in c of the same plate;
it is in the Sologuren collection, and has
been illustrated by Pefiafiel and Leon.80
In the same collection is the monkey figure
(pi. xvi, />) which has also been illustrated
by Pefiafiel.90 The plate from which the
figure rises recalls the gold pieces from
Costa Rica and Chiriqui, and this type of
object is quite rare in Mexico. PI. xvi, a,
represents an analogous monkey-like figure,
treated in filigree style; it is not, however,
from Oaxaca, but was collected by Strebel
from the Cerro Montoso region, in the
territory of the Totonaca, state of Vera
Cruz, and is now in Berlin.91

The objects shown on pi. xvn have been
already mentioned in Forsyth's account of
his researches, with the exception of a,
which is in the Sologuren collection and
has been illustrated by Penafiel.92 It is in
all respects like the specimens from the
Teotitlan region, illustrated and described

AND MONOGRAPHS

170

GOLDSMITH'S ART

by Forsyth, and it may have come from the
same locality, although found many years
previous to the finding of the objects
mentioned by Forsyth.

The writer collected in Oaxaca, for the
American Museum of Natural History,
forty-three gold objects, of which a few
will now be illustrated and described.
These include twenty-eight beads, of which
hundreds, of varying sizes and from widely
different localities, have been found from
time to time, many of them having gone to
the melting-pot. In 1902 forty gold beads
were discovered in a single grave near
Tlacolula, not far from Mitla, and being
covered with earth, their value was not
realized by the Indian who found them,
who sold the handful for twelve reals
($1.50 in Mexican currency). These beads,
as a rule, are simple, hollow spheres, but
some time ago a string of fluted beads and
fluted bells was found in a tomb in the
South Side Group at Mitla. In the Amer-
ican Museum of Natural History are a single
bead and bell from this tomb. Dr Solo-
guren possessed several from this find, but

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE — GOLD ORNAMENTS

GOLD ORNAMENTS
(a, From the State of Vera Cruz; b, From the State of Oaxaca)

OAXACA JEWELS

171

the greater number were sold to goldsmiths
and went to the crucible. On pi. xvm, c,
we present in colors, natural size, an illus-
tration of a bell similar to the ones from
Mitla, save that this specimen, which is
from Huitzo and in the Sologuren collec-
tion, is slightly larger. It shows the imita-
tion of filigree work around the upper part
and on the ring for attachment.

The splendid eagle's head (quauhtli}
shown in the same plate (a, b} comes from
Juquila, in the southwestern part of Oaxaca,
in Zapotecan territory. It is perhaps the
most esthetic piece in the collection of the
American Museum of Natural History,
and, as regards workmanship, one of the
most perfect jewels yet found in Oaxaca,
although the part by which it was attached
to the garment is. missing. The quauhtli
was one of the day-signs of the Nahua
month, and it was also the insignia of a
certain grade of warriors, who attained it
only by valor in actual warfare.93

On pi. xix, the upper left-hand figure (a)
is a beautiful ornament representing a con-
ventionalized owl's head (tecolotl), from

AND MONOGRAPHS

172

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Achiutla in the Mixteca. It is a symbol
which we have found several times on the
headdress of funeral-urns placed in front of
Zapotecan tombs in the valley of Oaxaca.
It also occurs in stucco on the facades of
tombs and in the hieroglyphic inscriptions
at Monte Alban. The ornament has a
perforation on the top of the head for
attachment to a garment. The inside,
which still shows traces of the black sub-
stance that formed part of the matrix, is
granular, not smoothed and polished like
the outside.

The bell or rattle shown on pi. xix, b, c,
depicts the head of a monkey (ozomatli) ; it
was found in Huitzo. It is probable that a
sufficient number of bells, alternating with
beads to form a necklace, were found in the
grave which was discovered by an Indian,
as two similar bells were brought to Oaxaca
and sold — one to Dr Sologuren, the other
to Don Abraham Castellanos. The ozo-
matli was one of the twenty day-signs of
the Nahua month. The large object
(pi. xix, d) representing an eagle's head
is a lip-ornament (tentetT), and was found in

INDIAN NOTES

OAXACA JEWELS

173

Coat Ian, near Miahuatlan. It is the larg-
est labret known from ancient Mexico;
indeed it seems almost too large to have
been worn by an individual, although
lab rets larger in diameter, but of different
shape, are still worn by old women in
British Columbia. It is more likely to
have been the lip-ornament of an idol.

In the Sologuren collection and in that of
the American Museum of Natural History
are other interesting specimens of gold from
Oaxaca, which we do not illustrate. Brief
mention of several of them will close our
discussion of the subject. In the former
collection is a small gold frog from Tutu-
tepee, south of Juquila, and a similar speci-
men is in the American Museum of Natural
History. At least six similar objects were
found in the same grave. The example in
the American Museum of Natural History
still contains a considerable quantity of the
hardened, pulverized charcoal and clay
that formed part of the matrix, and is per-
forated in four places on the under part for
attachment to a garment.

Two tiny beads from Nochistlan, in the

AND MONOGRAPHS

174 GOLDSMITH'S ART

Mixteca, are modeled in filigree style,
presenting an arrangement of fine gold
wire coiled to make a simple design, and
then cast. There are also four cone-shaped
ornaments with a fringe of tiny beads at
the base. These are hollow, with a bar
across the base for attachment to a gar-
ment. A similar specimen is in the Solo-
guren collection. All came from the same
grave, in Juquila.

Numerous eagle heads, each with open
beak containing the head of a warrior,
were discovered in a tomb in San Antonio
del Alto. They have two perforations at
the back to afford means for attachment.
One of these specimens is now in the Solo-
gurcn collection, one in the Berlin Museum,
and two in the American Museum of Natu-
ral History.94

A singular ornament in the last men-
tioned Museum is a human molar repre-
sented in gold, from the valley of Oaxaca.
It has two perforations, either for sus-
pension as part of a necklace, or for attach-
ment to a garment. Two other specimens,

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE— GOLD ORNAMENTS

GOLD ORNAMENTS FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA
American Museum of Natural History. (Actual size)

i. N. M. — 2

OAXACA JEWELS 175

found at the same time, were formerly in
possession of Don Francisco Leon of Oaxaca.

An interesting specimen in the Sologuren
collection is a gold disc, 13 cm. 1 mm. in
diameter, recently found in a grave at San
Pablo Huitzo. It is a breast ornament,
with faint incised lines around the edge,
representing the hieroglyph' of the sun,
tonatiuh. In the center is the hieroglyph
ollin, the seventeenth of the twenty day-
signs of the Nahuan calendar, and means
motion or movement. Hence the meaning
of the combined glyphs would be "the
movement of the sun," referring to the
four seasons of the year. Padre Gay men-
tions that the Mixtecan Indians "sold to
some European antiquarians, very thin
plates of gold, evidently worked with the
hammer, which their ancestors had been
able to preserve, and on which were en-
graved ancient hieroglyphs."9'

Mrs William Stuart, during her resi-
dence in San Geronimo, in the Tehuantepec
region of Oaxaca, was much interested in
archeology and accumulated a small collec-

AND MONOGRAPHS

176

GOLDSMITH'S ART

tion. In a short paper Mrs Stuart has the

following note:

"In the neighboring districts, many valuable

specimens have been found during the past ten
years, notably two small gold images, which I am

told have been forwarded to the United States,

and one small gold idol head, weighing one

ounce, which was found some years ago at the

foot of the hill of Ixtaltepec, and presented by

the finder, Count Henri de Gyves, a citizen of

San Ger6nimo, to the President of the Republic

of Mexico."96

NAHUAN REGION

From the center of the great region dom-

inated by Montezuma, the valley of Mexico,

as has been already stated, we have almost

no authenticated specimens of the gold-

smith's art. As Penafiel laments: "There

is nothing left of the grand and artistic

wealth of gold and silver articles, of the

Aztec empire. The National Museum

[of Mexico] has a few articles, which can

give only an imperfect idea of the work

done by the ancient Mexican silversmiths."97

Atzcapotzalco was the greatest manufac-

turing place of gold jewels, and of stone

mosaic-work in which gold was freely used.

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE— GOLD ORNAMENTS

GOLD ORNAMENTS FROM THE STATE OF OAXACA
(ACTUAL SIZE)

NAHUAN REGION

177

Bernal Diaz, in describing the temple of

Tenochtitlan, gives some information re-

garding the erection of the great structure,

and says that when it was erected, on the

laying of the foundations every inhabitant

contributed his mite of gold, silver, pearls,

and precious stones, to be buried in the

foundations. His interesting description

is as follows:

"There was a report that at the time they
began to build that great Cue, all the inhabi-

tants of that mighty city had placed as offerings

in the foundations, gold and silver and pearls

and precious stones, and had bathed them with

the blood of the many Indian prisoners of war

who were sacrificed, and had placed there every

sort and kind of seed that the land produces,

so that their idols should give them victories

and riches, and large crops. Some of my in-

quisitive readers will ask how we could come to

know that into the foundations of that great

Cue they cast gold and silver and precious chal-

chihuites and seeds, and* watered them with the

human blood of the Indians whom they sacri-

ficed, when it was more than one thousand

years ago that they built and made it. The

answer I would give to this is that after we took

that great and strong city, and the sites were

apportioned, it was proposed that in [the place

of] that great Cue we should build a church to

our patron and guide, Senor Santiago, and a

great part of the site of the great temple of

AND MONOGRAPHS

178 GOLDSMITH'S ART

Huichilobos was occupied by the site of the holy

church, and when they opened the foundations

in order to strengthen them, they found much

gold and silver and chalchihuites and pearls

and seed pearls and other stones. And a settler

in Mexico who occupied another part of the

same site found the same things, and the officers

of His Majesty's treasury demanded them,

saying that they belonged by right to His

Majesty, and there was a lawsuit about it. I

do not remember what happened except that

they sought information from the caciques, and

chieftains of Mexico, and from Guatemoc, who

was then alive, and they said it was true that

all the inhabitants of Mexico at that time cast

into the foundations those jewels and all the

rest of the things, and that so it was noted in

their books and pictures of ancient things, and

from this cause those riches were preserved for

the building of the holy church of Santiago."98

The present cathedral in the City of

Mexico is built on the above-mentioned

site, the Spaniards demolishing entirely

the pyramid and ancient temple of the

Aztecs. The present level of the city is

fully ten feet above that of ancient Tenoch-

titlan. It is interesting to have modern

corroborative evidence as to the correctness

of the statement of the old conqueror,

concerning the offerings made when the

INDIAN NOTES

NAHUAN REGION

179

Aztec temple was built. In the year 1900
excavations were conducted in Mexico in
connection with laying of pipe for an
improved drainage system. In Escalerillas
street, back of the cathedral, the deep
excavation revealed the foundations of the
old temple, and a very large number of
objects were found in the mud, which were
manifestly placed below the foundations at
the time of its erection. The writer was
fortunate in being in the city at this time,
and on several occasions was permitted to
take part in the recovery of objects, during
the latter part of the work, in the month
of December. Notwithstanding the fact
that thousands of specimens were found,
but few examples of gold were discovered.
These have been noted by Batres" and
Seler.100 Nine pieces found on October 16
are figured by Batres. Possibly other
pieces were discovered and concealed by the
workmen, notwithstanding the strict super-
vision of the work by the Inspector of
Monuments, Leopoldo Batres, or by his
employees. As Seler writes, "This find of
gold is important not only for the value of

AND MONOGRAPHS

180

GOLDSMITH'S ART

the metal, but because there has come
down to us almost no vestige of the famous
art of the ancient Mexican jewelers, for
the reason that the Spaniards did not
appreciate the artistic merit of these objects,
and melted them up." The specimens
recovered were, two gold discs (see pi. xx,
b), perfect and highly polished, with a
diameter of 20 cm., and with four small
perforations near the rim for suspension.
Discs were called teocuitlacomalli by the
Aztecs, and were used as breast ornaments
by the caciques, and often placed on the
chests of idols, the central piece of a neck-
lace of jadeite beads. Many such are
represented in the codices, and it was the
decoration par excellence of Tezcatlipoca.
"the shining mirror." In the Codex Ra-
mirez this deity is represented with the
breast covered by a circular plate of gold.
He is described as wearing many gold
jewels, and he "wears suspended from the
neck a jewel of gold so large as to cover all
of the breast."101 These discs are identical
with some found in the states of Michoa-
can, Vera Cruz, and Oaxaca, in Mexico,

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE — GOLD ORNAMENTS

GOLD ORNAMENTS FROM THE CITY OF MEXICO
(Museo Nacional of Mexico)

TAR A SCAN REGION

181

and in Costa Rica, Chiriqui, and South

America.

Six other smaller annular discs were

found with the two larger ones, all having

been bent double. A large ornament for

the nose, similar to those shown in many

instances in the codices, is illustrated on

pi. xx, a; it is 7.8 cm. high and 7.5 cm.

wide. This is shaped in the form of the

conventionalized butterfly, and is called

yaca papalotl, or yaca uicolli. It is the

particular attribute of the God of Pulque,

of the Goddess of the Earth, and of

the Huaxteca people. Small gold beads,

undecorated, have been found in the valley

of Mexico from time to time, and the writer

collected there a gold rattle or bell, in the

form of the rattles of the rattlesnake, which

is in the collection of the American Museum

of Natural History:

TARASCAN REGION

Gold-leaf applied as a decoration to

pottery objects was first presented by

Bishop Francisco Plancarte in an interest-

ing report of his explorations in Tarascan

AND MONOGRAPHS

182

GOLDSMITH'S ART

territory, in the valley of Zamora, near the
Indian village of Jacona, state of Mich-
oacan, sent to Professor Holmes and pub-
lished in The American Anthropologist in
1893. In a burial chamber in a small
mound Plancarte dug out some carbonized
and calcined human bones, and among
other objects "gold films or plating and
some five or six fragments of gilded beads,
all mingled with ashes, pieces of coal
[charcoal], and carbonized remains of tex-
tiles." He further remarks that, "the
great moisture of the place and the action
of time have completely destroyed most of
the gilded objects, leaving only the plates
or films, which I found in rather large
numbers; a few fragments of beads still
retain the gilding."102

A short time later, in the early nineties,
Lumholtz, while in the city of Tepic, about
two hundred miles in a direct line northwest
of the place where Plancarte made his
finds, secured some specimens of gold of an
exceedingly interesting character. In his
Unknown Mexico" he describes and
illustrates some of these specimens. The

INDIAN NOTES

TARASCAN REGION 183

objects under discussion were found by a
native while Lumholtz was on the ground.
In a stone grave were two skeletons "around
whose necks were altogether twenty-six
small bells of solid gold, besides some tur-
quoises. On the breast of one of the dead
was a large plate of solid hammered gold
which had been used as an ornament."103
The most important piece was a magnifi-
cent terra cotta "glazed" jar,104 of a technic
similar to the vessels which the writer has
recently described in an article in the
"Holmes Anniversary Volume."105 This
vessel is one of the most important examples
of ceramic art thus far found in ancient
America. It is designed and decorated in
imitation of a turkey, and is unique in
one particular — the head and neck of the
turkey are painted bright red, and the wat-
tles, all clearly indicated, are each orna-
mented with a thin leaf of gold. Around
the neck of the vessel, and in the spaces
where the wings, legs, and feet are repre-
sented, the "glazed" surface of the vase
has been ground off, and this rough surface
has been covered with a thin whitish coat-

AND MONOGRAPHS

184 GOLDSMITH'S ART

ing like stucco, which bears traces of a
thin gold-foil covering. The highly fin-
ished surface of this receptacle would not
have retained the gold-leaf but for the
grinding-off process, and this piece is the
only one having this treatment which has
come to light, although some of the pottery
from Cholula has thin paint or stucco
applied or worked into unpolished surfaces;
but this ware is not of the "glazed" type,
and no examples have ever been reported
with gold-leaf decoration. This art seems
to be confined to the Tarascan region in
question.

The gold bells from the grave mentioned
are like those of copper found in this region,
while the disc of gold is in every respect
similar to other breast-plates found in dif-
ferent parts of Mexico, and in Central and
South America.

The finds in Michoacan and Tepic
entirely disprove the statements of early
chroniclers that the natives were not good
beaters of gold. The gold-leaf on the
Lumholtz jar is as fine as it would seem
possible to hammer it, even with the best

INDIAN NOTES

SAVILLE— GOLD ORNAMENTS

GOLD ORNAMENT FROM THE RUINS OF PAPANTLA, STATE OF
VERA CRUZ

'

!

TOTONACAN REGION

185

modern tools. As we have before stated,

other examples of the use of gold-leaf may

be seen in several specimens of beautifully

carved atlatls, or thro wing-sticks, in vari-

ous European museums, which undoubt-

edly were sent to Europe in the first period

of the conquest, and they still preserve their

gilt.

Dr Hamy has described the model of a

gold tooth perforated for suspension for a

necklace. It was found in Tepito, and

Hamy considers it a trophy brought from

Michoacan by a soldier of one of the kings

Axayacatl or Montezuma.106

TOTONACAN REGION

The large jewel illustrated on pi. xxi is

from the ruins of Papantla, otherwise

known as El Tajin, in the state of Vera

Cruz.107 It is 11.5 cm. high, and bears in

relief on the reverse of the plate, below the

figure, in Nahuan hieroglyphs, the date 4

Ocelotl (tiger) of the year 1 Acatl (reed).

This specimen, which is in the Museo

Nacional of Mexico,108 represents a man

with closed eyes, and with an elaborate

AND MONOGRAPHS

186

GOLDSMITH'S ART

head-dress. A peculiar feature is what

appears to be a sparse beard simulated by

a line of wire loops extending around the

chin from near the base of the nose. Large

squares extend from the sides of the face,

either covering or replacing the ears. A

decorated band with a projection in the

center runs around the forehead. On the

chest is an annular disc similar to those

found back of the cathedral in the City of

Mexico. The imitation of filigree work is

noteworthy. As a whole this piece is the

most elaborate specimen of gold-work

which we now know from Mexico, with the

exception of the Zapotecan ornament on

pi. rvv Although found in present Toto-

nacan territory, the hieroglyphs suggest

that it should be attributed to the Nahuan

people.

CONCLUSION

In the foregoing study of the goldsmith's

art in ancient Mexico, we have aimed to

present the sources of information concern-

ing it, rather than to enter into a definitive

treatment of the art itself. The evidence

INDIAN NOTES

CONCLUSION 187

is sufficient to show that the Mexicans had
attained a high proficiency in this class of
work. From the descriptions of the many
gold jewels and of objects in which gold
was used as a decoration, which we derive
from the inventories, as well as of the few
jewels recently found in ancient tombs, it
is clear that the extravagant statements of
the early chroniclers are not highly ex-
aggerated. That so much revealing the
artistic temperament of the Mexicans has
j been irretrievably lost is a matter of lasting
I regret. So far as the few specimens of gold
j from Mexico justify us in making a com-
j parison with the same class of objects from
other parts of ancient America, we are safe
in placing these jewels as works of bar-
baric art on a higher plane generally than
those of the inhabitants of Chiriqui, Co-
lombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Certain very
small gold jewels from the province of
Esmeraldas, Ecuador, are in a distinct
class, and the wonderful hollow figures,
bottles, and canteens from the region of the
Quimbayas in Colombia may possibly be
excepted from the above assertion. The

AND MONOGRAPHS

I. N. M.— 2

188

GOLDSMITH'S ART

combination of stone-mosaic with gold was
probably in vogue among the ancient Pe-
ruvians, but the writer cannot recall ever
seeing any specimens of that kind. Such
mosaics from the coast of Peru are on shell
and wooden matrices. Mosaics have also
been found in the great Southwestern cul-
ture area in the United States. The writer
once found traces of mosaic-work in an
ancient tomb in the valley of Oaxaca, and
the occurrence of one or two other instances
of such fragments in other parts of Mexico
have come to our attention. The jewel
which we have illustrated is thus far the
only specimen that shows the artistic
character of this work.109 The great region
where gold was used in abundance was that
occupied by the Nahuas, Zapotecs,Mixtecs,
and Tarascans, together with the coast
region of Vera Cruz.

We have not taken into account the
Mayan region, where the first specimens of
jewels were obtained on the coast of Yuca-
tan, Campeche, and Tabasco. Very few,
if any, gold jewels have been found in
Mayan tombs. The only important finds

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

189

of this kind were those made in the great

cenote in Chichen Itza, Yucatan, where

they were thrown into the water as cere-

monial offerings, with many other objects.

These have not yet been described, nor are

they at present available for study.

At the present time the goldsmiths of

Mexico are exceedingly clever in making

gold and silver filigree objects, probably

more so than in any other part of Latin

America. It is perhaps a survival on the

part of the present-day Indians of the art

which flourished on the Mexican plateau

in the early part of the sixteenth century.

But the mosaic-work, and especially the

even more interesting feather-mosaic which

was truly an esthetic achievement, are arts

that have passed away, owing to the com-

plete subjugation and subsequent degrada-

tion of one of the highest cultures of ancient

America.

NOTES

1. Peter Martyr, De Orbe Novo, Fourth
Decade, book x.

2. This expedition has been the subject of
inquiry by the* writer in a recently published

AND MONOGRAPHS

190 GOLDSMITH'S ART

7

paper, "The Discovery of Yucatan in 1517 by

Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba," Geographical

Review, vol. vi, no. 5, pp. 436-448, map, New

York, Nov. 1918.

3. We use the edition of Bernal Diaz del

Castillo published by the Hakluyt Society. The

work is entitled, "The True History of the Con-

quest of New Spain," translated into English

by Alfred Percival Maudslay. The citation is

from vol. i, p. 31. The first Spanish edition was

printed in Madrid in 1632.

4. The Itinerary of Grijalva, written by the

chaplain Juan Diaz, was published in Italian

in 1520. It has been translated into Spanish

by Joaquin Garcfa Icazbalceta and published
by him in his Documentos para la Historia de

•

Mexico, tomo I, Mexico, 1858. An English

translation by the present writer will appear as

vol. HI of the Publications of the Cortes So-

ciety.

5. Bernal Diaz, op. cit, vol. i, pp. 48-49.

6. Juan Diaz, op. cit., English translation by

the writer.

7. Bernal Diaz, op. cit., vol. i, pp. 61-62.

8. Juan Diaz, op. cit.

9. Historia General y Natural de las Indias,

by Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdes, edi-

tion of the Real Academia de la Historia, tomo

i, Primera Parte, lib. xvn, caps, viii-xviii, pp.

502-537, Madrid, 1851. These chapters relat-

ing to the expedition of Grijalva have been trans-

lated into English by the writer and will be

published in the volume devoted to the Itiner-

ary of Grijalva, for the Cortes Sqciety.

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

191

10. Francisco Lopez de Gomara, Conquista

de Mexico, Segunda Parte de la Cronica Gen-

eral de las Indias, edition of Don Enrique de

Vedia, Historiadores Primitivos de Indias, in

Biblioteca de Autorcs Espanoles, tomo I, pp. 298-

299, Madrid, 1877.

11. Peter Martyr, op. cit. I quote from the

latest translation made and edited by Francis

A. MacNutt, vol. u, book in, p. 16, New

York, 1912.

12. The writer has called attention to the

finding of gold fishhooks on the Ecuadorian coast

in his " Archeological Researches on the Coast

of Esmeraldas, Ecuador," in Verhandlungen des

XVI Iniernationalen Amerikanisten-Kongresses,

p. 341, Vienna, 1909.

13. These valuable gifts are described in the

work of Bernal Dfaz del Castillo, Andres de

Tapia, and a serving man who saw them in Vera

Cruz. They were examined in Sevilla by

Oviedo y Valdes, and in Valladolid by Peter

Martyr and Father Las Casas, the latter two

writers giving us more detailed descriptions

than any of the others. The anonymous writer

of a letter dated November 7, 1519, of which

copies are extant in both Spanish and German,

saw them in Sevilla, and they are mentioned

also in a letter of the same date written by a serv-

ant named Diego Dienz. This is all the source

material known in regard to the treasure written

by eye-witnesses, with the possible exception of

the account of Gomara, later chaplain to Her-

nan Cortes. His description seems too exact to

have been written secondhand, but he makes

AND MONOGRAPHS

192

GOLDSMITH'S ART

no specific statement of the fact. He follows
closely the description of Las Casas, and pos-
sibly had access to the manuscript of his work.
All the other authorities cited write that they
had seen the objects. We give here, in extenso,
the various accounts of the treasure. The first
and longest by a companion of Cortes is that of
Bernal Diaz. He writes: "The first article pre-
sented was a wheel like a sun, as big as a cart-
wheel, with many sorts of pictures on it, the
whole of fine gold, and a wonderful thing to
behold, which those who afterward weighed it
said was worth more than ten thousand pesos.
Then another wheel was presented of greater
size made of silver of great brilliancy in imita-
tion of the moon with other figures shown on it.
and this was of great value as it was very heavy
and the chief brought back the helmet full of
fine grains of gold, just as they are got out of
the mines, and this was worth three thousand
pesos. This gold in the helmet was worth more
to us than if it had contained twenty thousand
pesos, because it showed us that there were
good mines. Then were brought twenty golden
ducks, beautifully worked and very natural
looking, and some [ornaments] like dogs, of the
kind they keep, and many articles of gold
worked in the shape of tigers and monkeys, and
ten collars beautifully worked and other neck-
laces; and twelve arrows and a bow with its
string, and two rods like staffs of justice, five
palms long, all in beautiful hollow work of fine
gold. Then there were presented crests of gold
and plumes of fine feathers, and others of silver,
and fans of the same material, and deer copied

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

193

in hollow gold, and many other things that I
cannot remember, for it all happened so many
years ago." — Op. cit, vol. i, chap, xxxix, pp.
143-144.

Captain Andres de Tapia does not give any
extended description, simply saying that Mon-
tezuma "ordered that the Marquis should be
given a certain present of gold and silver, and in
it was a wheel of gold, and another of silver, each
one the size of a cart-wheel, although not very
thick, which they said were made in the sem-
blance of the sun and moon." Relacion de An-
dres de Tapia sobre la Conquista de Mexico,
published by Joaquin Garcia Icazbalceta, in
Coleccidn de Documentos para la Historia de
Mexico, tomo IT, p. 562, Mexico, 1866.

Francisco de Aguilar is quite as brief, for he
writes only that "here they were given a present
of a golden sun among some weapons, and a
moon of silver, and certain golden collars, which
were sent to the emperor."

Finally, we have the letter written by a serv-
ant to his master from New Sevilla near the
port of Archidoma, under date of June 28, 1519.
It enumerates "two round discs, one of fine
gold, the other of fine, silver, finely worked with j
beautiful figures out of free hand, which were
given to the Captain. The gold disc is seven
palms broad and seven palms long, the other
of silver is the little finger smaller.

"Furthermore: the head of a great snake or
dragon, which is a figure of very fine gold, with
gold teeth: this is a full palm broad, and three
lingers thick, note how large this head is. The |

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194

GOLDSMITH'S ART

eyes are of costly precious stones, and decor-
ated with costly feathers.

"Furthermore: a great disc of precious
stones; it is on the inside and outside lined with
a tiger-skin, which skins are very highly valued.

"Furthermore: four necklaces with many
costly stones mounted in gold.

"Furthermore: a horn of a seafish made of
gold, two palms long and about two palms
broad, entirely of gold.

"Furthermore: a head of gold, and many
other pieces of gold and silver and precious
stones."

After the arrival of the treasure in Sevilla on
November 5, it was seen by several person whose
writings have come down to us. An anonymous
letter written to Juan de la Pena in Burgos is
dated* two days after its arrival in Sevilla. A
similar letter has been found, undated, indited to
the Archbishop of Granada. There can be no
doubt that the two were composed by the same
person, but the first letter contains a few more
details than the latter.

Oviedo saw the treasure in the House of
Trade in Sevilla, and writes about the great
quantity of gold "given to Hernando Cortes
and the Spaniards, especially two great wheels,
one of gold and the other of silver, like metal
plates, worked in medium relief; the one of gold
they had in reference of the sun, and that of
silver in memory of the moon. The one of gold
weighed four thousand, eight hundred pesos,
and that of silver forty-eight and fifty marks;
each one was nine and one-half palms wide and
thirty in circumference. Which [things] I saw

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

195

in Sevilla, in the House of Trade, with many
other jewels of gold and silver." Oviedo states
that he talked with the proctors, Montejo and
Portocarrero, and the pilot Alaminos, and this
was "almost at the end of 1519."

Peter Martyr describes these objects after
an examination of them, for in the Fifth Decade,
written to Pope Adrian VI, he writes regarding
the gifts which Cortes received from Montezuma
in person in the city of Tenochtitlan. that "the
gifts Cortes received from Montezuma are so
marvelous, both for their intrinsic value and for
their workmanship, that it is better not to de-
scribe them until we see them. In company
with Your Beatitude, we have examined in the
famous city of Valladolid the first ones sent over,
and we have described them in our Fourth
Decade. Cortes writes that within a few days
he will send a number of presents, but that the
first to reach us are much inferior in number,
quality, and value."

The description of Peter Martyr, referred to
above by him, was dedicated to Pope Leo X.
We quote it in extenso, using the Eden transla-
tion, but have given modern spelling to the
text.

"Let us now therefore come to the other
presents which were brought to the king.
Among these were two broad and round plates
(which some have named the images of the sun
and moon), the one of silver and the other of
gold, in largeness and roundness much like to
the stones of hand mills: yet but thin, and in
manner both of one of circumference, that is,
xxviii spans in circuit. That of gold is of the

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196

GOLDSMITH'S ART

weight of three thousand and viii hundred cas-
tellans, where as we have said before that a
castellane is a coin of gold which weigheth more
than a ducat by a trient, that is the third part
of a pound. In the center of this, was the im-
age of a king of half a cubit long, sitting in a
throne and appareled to the knee, like unto n
maumette, with such countenance as our painters
are wont to paint fairies or sprites. About the
image, were the shapes of trees and flowers, so
that it seemed to sit as though it had been in a
field. The other, of silver, was made to the
same similitude, being also in manner of the
same weight, and both of pure metal. They
brought likewise certain grains of rude gold
(that is such as was never molten) about the
bigness of fitches or the pulse called lentils in
token of plenty of native gold. Also two chains
of gold, whereof the one contained viii links in
the which were set two hundred three score and
two fair and clear red stones, and yet no rubies:
furthermore, a hundred and four score and
three green stones, and yet no emeralds. Nev-
ertheless, these are in like estimation with
them, as the other are with us. At the edge of
this chain, there hang xxvii golden bells, having
between every [one] of them, four jewels of
precious stones enclosed in gold, at every [one]
of the which in like manner hang certain spangles
of gold. The other chain consisteth only of
four golden links, beset round about with a
hundred and two red stones, and a hundred
threescore and twelve green stones, with xxvi
golden bells curiously wrought and placed in
comely order. In the very midst of the chain,

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

197

are ten great precious stones enclosed in gold,
at the which also hang a hundred golden pend-
ants of cunning workmanship. They brought
furthermore twelve pair of leather buskins of
divers colors, some embroidered with gold and
some with silver, with plates and jewels of gold
and precious stones enclosed, and at every [one]
of them certain golden bells. Also certain
miters beset with precious stones of divers
colors, among the which some are blue, like
unto sapphires. Of crests, girdles, and fans
made of feathers, I wot not what I should say.
But surely if ever the wits and inventions of
men have deserved honor or commendation in
such arts, these seem most worthy to be had in
admiration. I do not marvel at gold and pre-
cious stones. But am in manner astonished to
see the workmanship excel the substance. For
I have with wondering eyes beheld a thousand
forms and similitudes, of the which I am not
able to write. And in my judgment, I never
saw any thing whose beauty might so allure the
eye of men. As they marveled at the natural
beauty of the feathers of our peacocks and
pheasants, so did we no less marvel at the arti-
ficial beauty of such things as they make of
feathers and quills impaled with gold. For I
saw in many of their works, all manner of
native colors even in the quills whereof they
make such instruments.

"They brought also two helmets garnished
with precious stones of a whitish blue color.
One of these is edged with bells and plates of
gold, and under every bell two knobs of gold.
The other, beside the stones wherewith it is

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

covered, is likewise edged with xxv golden bells
and knobs: and hath on the crest, a green bird
with the feet, bill, and eyes cf gold. Also four
spears much like unto trout or eel spears, the
wood whereof is all covered with quills of divers
colors marvelously wreathed with gold wires and
plates intermixed. Every [one] of these spears
have three pikes, whose edges or teeth are all of
precious stones made fast with wires of gold.
Of like workmanship they brought a great
scepter beset with precious stones and bells of
gold, also a bracelet of gold, and shoes made of
a hart's skin, sewed and embroidered with golden
wires, with a white sole beneath. Furthermore
a glass [mirror] of a bright blue stone, and an-
other of white, both enclosed in gold. Like-
wise a precious stone of the kind of them that
are called Sphinges [sphinx], enclosed in gold.
Furthermore the head of a great lizard, two
great shells, two ducks, the shapes of divers
other birds, fowls, and fishes, and all of massive
gold. Furthermore xxiii round and square tar-
gets, shields, and bucklers of' gold, and five of
silver. Also a triple crown of plates, and wires
of gold marvelously wreathed with quills and
feathers of divers colors, having on the front a
plate of gold on the which is graven the image
of the idol Zemes. About this image, hang four
other plates like cresses of gold in the which
are graven the heads of divers beasts, as lions,
tigers, wolves, and such other. They brought
also the similitudes of certain beasts made some
of rods or twigs, and some of wood with the
beasts' own skins thereon, and garnished with
j collars of laton bells. Likewise divers sheets

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

199

weaved of gossampine cotton of sundry colors
whereof two are richly fringed with gold, and
precious stones, and three other with quills
and feathers intermixed with gossampine cotton
of sundry colors and checkered like the panes of
a chess board. Some are on the one side, of
black, white, and red colors: and on the other
side, plain without any variety. Other some,
are wrought in like manner with variable col-
ors with a wheel or circle of black in the midst
intermixed with shining feathers and sparks of
gold like stars. They brought also cloth of
Aras or Verdure of marvelous workmanship.
Likewise a soldier's cloak such as their princes
wear in the wars, with certain privy coats of
fence, and sundry tirements pertaining to theii
heads, with also many such other things more
beautiful to the eye than rich or precious,
whereof to entreat particularly, it should be j
more tedious than profitable." — The Decades of [
the Newe Worlde of West Tndia, etc., London,
1555, Arber reprint, the First Three English
Books on America, Westminster, 1895, pp. 197-
198. The description of the Cortes booty b>
Peter Martyr, given above, was first published
in Latin in "De Nvper svb D. Carolo Repertis
Insulis, simulatque incolarum moribus, R. Petri
Martyris, Enchiridion, Dominse Margarita?,
Diui Max. Caes filise dictatum," Basileae. Anno
M.D.XXI,. 44 pp. This was translated in
tegro by Eden. Our extract is found on pp
36-39 of the 1521 edition.

The account of Las Casas follows:
"A present of such rich things, fabricated
and made of such workmanship that they ap-

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200

GOLDSMITH'S ART

peared like a dream, and not as if made by
man's hands. There was a diversity of small
shirts, and some very delicate and varicolored
cotton cloths, for the vestments such as they
were accustomed to wear, intermingled with
very delicate and divers colored bird's feathers:
a helmet, I think [made] of wood, very thin,
and covered with grains of gold [such as used]
I for smelting: a helmet of plates of gold, and little
bells hanging [from it], and on it stones like
emeralds: many shields made of certain thin
and very white rods, intermingled with feath-
ers, and discs of gold and of silver, and some
very small pearls, like misshapen pearls, the
workmanship of which no one can express in
writing, nor its beauty, richness and loveliness:
certain plumes of large divers colored feathers,
with the ends of gold embroidery, hanging down:
fans of very rich feathers, with a thousand
beautiful decorations of gold and silver, and of
marvelous workmanship: armlets and other
pieces of armor of gold and silver, that they
were accustomed to use in their wars in such a
way that with their green and yellow feathers
intermingled, and reddish deer-skins very well
tanned, one could not duly describe their work-
manship and beauty: sandals of very well
tanned deer-skin sewed with gold threads, and
for soles, a white and blue stone, a precious
thing very thin and with very delicate upper
soles of cotton: mirrors made of margasita
(marcasita, pyrites?) which is a very beautiful
metal like silver, very shining, and these mirrors
[are] large like a fist, round like a ball, set in
gold, that leaving out the value of the gold,

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

201

only for the workmanship and beauty of them,
one might sell at a high price, and which might
be presented to any lord and great king as a
suitable present: many mantles and curtains
for the bed, very thin [made] of cotton, which
seemed to be finer and richer than if made of
silk, and made of divers colors: many pieces of
gold and silver: a necklace of gold which had
more than one hundred emeralds, and many
more rubies, or what seemed to be [rubies],
from which hang many little golden bells:
another [necklace] with many emeralds, and
certain rich pearls, and of admirable work-
manship: other small pieces of gold, like frogs
and little animals, and jewels like large and
small medals, which only for the hand-work as
they say, or of the beauty of the artifice with
which they were fashioned, were worth more
than the value of the gold and silver, and a
great deal more: many grains of gold for smelt-
ing, as it is taken out of the mines, like chick-
peas, and larger. Above all this they sent two
wheels, one of gold [with] the figure of the sun
carved on it, with its rays and ornaments, and
certain figures of animals designed on it.
I think it weighed more than one hundred
marks: the other of silver, with the figure of
the moon carved in the same manner as that of
the sun, [weighing] fifty and some odd marks.
It has the thickness of a toston of four reales,
both [are] massive. Each one is very little
smaller in roundness than a cart-wheel. These
wheels were certainly things well worth seeing.
I saw them with all the other things, in the
year 1520 in Valladolid, the day that they were

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GOLDSMITH'S ART

seen by the Emperor, for they arrived there
then, sent by Cortes, as God be pleased, it will
be seen below. All those who saw those things,
so rich and beautiful, as things that had never
been seen nor heard of before, chiefly because
until then, things like them had never been
seen before, remained surprised and greatly
astounded. The Indians said that that present
and those gifts were sent by Montezuma to
those who had come there these passed days,
who were Juan de Grijalva and his companions,
only that when they had arrived at the sea-coast
with them, they [Grijalva and his men] had
already departed. The gold and silver which
was there was valued at twenty to twenty-five
thousand castellanos, but their beauty and
workmanship make them worth as much more."
— Historia de las Indias, tomo TV, cap. cxxi,
pp. 284-286, Madrid edition, 1876.

Gomara first speaks of the presents received
by Cortes as follows:

"Thus they passed seven or eight days,
receiving many visits from the Indians, and
awaiting the coming of the Governor, and the
answer from that great lord [Montezuma] as
he was called by all. He [the Governor] arrived
presently with a very handsome and rich
present. There were many mantles and pieces
of clothing of embroidered white and colored
cotton, such as they used. Many plumes and
other lovely feathers, and some things made of
gold and feathers, rich and beautifully orna-
mented. A quantity of jewels and pieces of
silver and gold, and two thin wheels, one of
silver, weighing fifty-two marks, with the

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

203

figure of the moon [on it], and the other of gold,
weighing one hundred marks, made like the
sun, with many decorations and animals in
relief, a very beautiful work. They hold these
two objects in that land as gods, and make them
of the color of metal they resemble. Each one
measured ten palms in width and thirty around.
These presents may be valued at twenty thou-
sand ducats or a little more. The said present
they had [brought] to give to Grijalva if he had
not departed [before they arrived], according
to what the Indian said."

Gomara's itemized list begins:

"The two wheels of gold and silver given by
Teudilli from Montezuma.

"A necklace of gold -[composed] of eight
pieces, in which there were set one hundred and j
eighty-three small emeralds, and two hundred
and thirty-two small stones similar to rubies
not of great value; from it hung twenty-seven
little bells of gold, and some heads of pearls
or berruecos.

"Another necklace [composed] of four
crooked pieces, with one hundred and two
small rubies, and one hundred and seventy- two
small emeralds, ten fine pearls not badly set,
and with a border of twenty-six little bells of
gold. Both necklaces were well worth seeing.
and they had other beautiful things without
those mentioned.

"Many grains of gold, none larger than the
size of chick-peas, such as are found on the soil.

"A plain helmet [filled] with grains of un-
smelted gold, unrefined, and not accounted for.

"A head-piece of wood, covered with gold

AND MONOGRAPHS

N. M.— 2

204

GOLDSMITH'S ART

I and covered outside with much mosaic-work,

and for bebederos? [perhaps a misprint for

babaderos, bibs] twenty-five little golden bells,

and for a crest [it has] a green bird with the

eyes, bill, and feet of gold.

"A helmet of small gold plates and little

gold bells around it on the outside, and covered

with stones.

"A bracelet of very thin gold.

"A rod like a royal scepter, with two rings

of gold for the ends, and decorated with pearls.

"Four tridents with three hooks covered

with feathers of many colors, and [with] the

points of pearls tied with gold thread.

"Many shoes like sandals, of deer-skin sewed

with gold thread, with the soles of a certain

white and blue stone, very thin and transparent.

[Clavigero translates this as " the soles of which

were made of blue and white stone itzili, very

thin." In a note Clavigero says, "Gomara

does not say expressly that the stone was itztli,

but it is to be understood from his account."]

"Six other pairs of shoes of a leather of

various colors, decorated with gold, silver, or

pearls.

"A shield of wood and leather, and around

it little bells of Moorish brass [?], the main part

a plate of gold, sculptured on which is Vitcilo-

puchtli, god of battles, and in each quarter four

heads with their feathers or hair in natural

size, alive or flayed, which [heads] were a lion.

tiger, eagle, and an owl.

"Many skins of birds and animals, tanned.

with their feathers and hair.

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES 205

"Twenty-four shields of gold, feathers, and
rude pearls, very handsome and of much beauty.

"Five shields of feathers and silver.

"Four golden fishes, two ducks, and other
birds, hollow and cast of gold.

"Two large golden shells, which are not
found here, a frightful crocodile, with many
thick threads of gold around it.

"A bar of brass [probably burnished copper1
and made from the same, certain hatchets ^ '
some spades.

"A large mirror adorned with gold and
other smaller ones.

" Many miters and crowns of worked feathers
and gold, and with a thousand colors and
pearls and stones.

"Many feathers very handsome and of all
colors, not dyed but natural [color].

"Many feather-pieces and plumes, large,
handsome and rich, with gold and rude pearl
mosaic-work.

"Many fans and feathers, and [some] only
of feathers, large and small of all sorts, but all
very beautiful.

"A mantle like a cloak of woven cotton, of
many colors and of feathers, with a black wheel
in the center, with its rays, and plain in the
center.

"Many surplices and vestments of priests,
veils, altar cloths, and ornaments of temples
and altars.

"Many others of these mantles of cotton,
of white only, or white and black checkered, or
red, green, yellow, blue, and other colors also.
Yet on the wrong side [they were] always with-

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206

GOLDSMITH'S ART

out fleece or color, on the right [out]side

fleecy like plush.

"Many short shirts, jackets, kerchiefs for

the head, of cotton, for men. Many mantles

for the bed, cloths and spreads of cotton.

"These things were more beautiful than

costly, although the wheels were very precious,
and the workmanship was worth more than the

things themselves, because the colors of the

cotton sheets were exceedingly fine, also those

of feathers [were] of natural colors. The cast

work exceeded the skill of our silversmiths, of

which we shall speak in the proper place." —

Op. cit, pp. 313, 322-323.

14. This inventory was published bv

Navarrete in 1842, at the end of the "Rela"-

cion del descubrimiento y conquista de Nueva

Espana, hecha por la Justicia y Regimiento de
la nueva ciudad de Villa Rica de Vera Cruz,

a 10 de julio de 1519," in Coleccidn de Docu-

mcntos Intdiios para la Historia de Espana, t. I,

pp. 461-472. It was utilized by Prescott in his

Conquest of Mexico, appearing in 1843; he gives

a very free translation of a few of the items

It was reprinted by Mora in Mexico in 1844,

as an appendix to his Spanish translation of
Clavigero's Historia Antigua de Mexico y de
su Conquista. Finally, it was included by

Gayangos in his edition of the Cartas y Rela-

ciones de Hernan Cortes, published in Paris in

1866.

15. The word guarique, unintelligible to

Mora, was thought by Gayangos "to be the

Arabic waric, which signifies work of leaves."

But Oviedo y Valdes, in describing the barter

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

207

obtained by Grijalva, states that it was a kind
of ear ornament, for he mentions "a pair of
gtiariques, or carcillos (earrings, probably hoop-
shaped), of gold for the ears." (Op. cit., tomo
r, lib. xvn, cap. xiii, p. 521.)

16. Pascual de Gayangos, op. cit., second
letter of Cortes, p. 85.

17. Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, Historia
General de las Cosas de Nueva Espana, edition
of Carlos Maria de Bustamante, Mexico, 1829,
lib. doceno, cap. xvii, pp. 25-26.

18. Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, Cr6nica
de la Nueva Espana, lib. cuarto, cap. xlvii, p.
378, edition of the Hispanic Society of America,
Madrid, 1914.

19. Fray Diego Duran, Historia de las Tndias
de Nueva Espana y Islas de Tierra Firme. The
original manuscript is in the Biblioteca Nacional,
Madrid, and there are copies in the New York
Public Library and the Museo Nacional, Mexico.
A copy was in the collection of manuscripts
gathered by Lord Kingsborough, but it was
not published in his monumental work. At the
sale of his collection in 1842 it was purchased by
Sir Thomas Phillips; it was sold in the section
of his library disposed of in June, 1919, and is
now owned by John B. Stetson, of Phila-
delphia. The Kingsborough copy consists of
2543 pages bound in two thick folio volumes,
and is illustrated with about one hundred
and twenty water-color drawings. The work
was published in Mexico, from the copy
there, the first volume, annotated by Jose
Fernando Ramirez, coming out in 1867. The
final volume and atlas of plates were not

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208

GOLDSMITH'S ART

I printed until 1880. The quotation is from tomo
I n, cap. Ixxxiv, pp. 37-38.

20. Bernal Diaz, op. cit., tomo n, cap. xciii,
pp. 84-85.

21. Andres de Tdpia, op. cit., p. 579.

22. Bernal Diaz, op. cit., tomo n, cap. civ,
p. 137.

23. William H. Prescott, History of the
Conquest of Mexico, vol. n, book iv, cap. v,
pp. 203-204, edition of 1846.

24. In the Mexican edition of Prescott's
work, translated by Joaquin Navarro, printed
in 1844 by Ignacio Cumplido, the third volume
is made up of notes by Jose Fernando Ramirez.
It is entitled Notas y Esclarecimientos a la
Historia de la Conquista de Mexico del Senor
W. Prescott. Nota septima of tomo i, pp. 79-
92, relates to the value of the treasure of Monte-
zuma.

25. Bernal Dfaz, op. cit., vol. 11, cap. civ,
pp. 137-139; cap. cv, p. 141.

26. The letters of Cortes, edition of Francis
A. MacNutt, vol. i, Second Letter, pp. 253-255,
New York, 1908.

27. Bernal Diaz, op. cit., vol. n, cap. cxxviii,
pp. 243-244.

28. Diego Duran, op. cit., tomo n, cap.
Ixxvi, p. 49.

29. Cervantes de Salazar, op. cit., cap.
cxxiii, p. 493.

30. The first seven of these lists were pub-
lished in Madrid in 1869, in Coleccidn de Docu-

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

209

mentos Ineditos Relativos al Descubrimiento ,

Conquista y Organization de las Antiguas Poses-

iones Espanolas sacados de los archives del Reino

v muy Especialmente del de Indias, por D. Luis

Torres de Mendoza, tomo xn. The last inven-

tory has recently been found by Fr. Cuevas and

published in Cartas y Otras Documentos de

Hernan Cortes Novisimamente Descubiertos en

el Archive General de Indias de la Ciudad de

Sevilla e ilustrados por el P. Mariano Cuevas,

S. J, pp. 21-25, Sevilla, 1915.

31. Gayangos writes that "two officers

called Alonso de Avila and Antonio de Quinones

were entrusted with the carrying to Castile of

the letters and errand [Montezuma's treasure];

moreover in the island of Santa Marfa of the

Azores, where the boat made port, Quinones

died in a night brawl, and Avila continued his

voyage, escorted by two other caravels of

Domingo Alonso. They fell in with some

French corsairs near the head of Cape San

Vicente, and the rich spoils of the Aztecs went

to fill up the treasure of Francis I." One

of the accompanying caravels, called Sancti

Spiritus, was saved, the pirates being content

simply to rob the ship of its rich cargo, and

allowed it to proceed. From an extract of the

Registro de la Contratacidn we learn that this

vessel entered the port of Sevilla on November 7,

1522.

32. See note 30.

33. William Robertson, History of America,

book vn, note xxxiv. This work was concluded

in 1788.

34. Alexander von Humboldt, Researches

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210

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Concerning the Institutions and Monuments of

the Ancient Inhabitants of America, translated

into English by Helen Maria Williams, vol. I,

p 183, London, 1814.

35. Beraal Diaz, op. cit, vol. n, pp. 127-128.

36. Cortes, op. cit., vol. i, pp. 242-244.

37. The history of this, one of the most

important of Mexican codices, is too long for

details here The original Tribute Roll on

maguey paper is now in the National Museum

of Mexico, and has been recently reproduced in

colors by Penafiel. A copy on European paper,

made before 1550, also in colors, forms part of

the so-called Codex Mendoza, or Codice Mendo-

cino, now in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.

Several fragments of leaves of the maguey paper

original are in the rooms of the American Philo-

sophical Society of Philadelphia. The writer
has had the privilege of examining them in the

variour places they are now preserved, and has

had access to all the publications in which they

are reproduced. At some future time he hopes

to publish a complete account of this codex.

38. The reproduction of the Tribute Roll

is found in Monumentos del Arte Mexicano

Antiguo, by Dr Antonio Penafiel, tomo n, pi.

228-259, Berlin, 1890.

39. The Tribute Roll was published by

Archbishop Lorenzana of Mexico, in his His-

tory of New Spain, being the Letters of Cortes,

Mexico, 1770. He took it from the original

maguey paper codex, and it appears under the

title, Cordillera de los Pueblos que antes de

la Conquista pagagaban Tribute a el Em-

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

211

perador Muctezuma y en que especie, y can-
tidad. There are 31 plates.

40. The Codex Mendoza, containing the
Tribute Roll, was included by Lord Kingsbor-
ough in his monumental work, in nine volumes,
on the Antiquities of Mexico, London, 1831-33,
from the European paper copy in Oxford.
The codex is reproduced in colors, in the first
72 plates of vol. I, the Tribute Roll being the
second part, pi. 19-57. In vol. v, pp. 37-126,
is the explanatory text, pp. 54-89 explaining the
Tribute Roll. Several of the towns mentioned
in this Tribute Roll will be found in the extract
of the letter by Cortes which we have just
quoted in extenso.

41. A translation, by the writer, of the Anony-
mous Conqueror, has been published by the
Cortes Society as vol. i of the Documents and
Narratives Concerning the Discovery and Con-
quest of Latin America. The title is, Narrative
of Some Things of New Spain and of the Great
City of Temestitan, Mexico, written by the
Anonymous Conqueror, a Companion of Hernan
Cortes, p. 79, New York, 1917.

42. Andres de Tdpia, op. cit, pp. 582-583.

43. Antonio de Herrera, Historia de las
Indias Occidentales, edition of A. Gonzales
Barcia, Madrid, 1726-30, Dec. IT, lib. vi, cap.
xii, p. 155.

44. Padre Horacio Carochi, Arte de la
Lengua Mexicana, p. 77, 1st ed., Mexico, 1645.

45. Brinton's Library of Aboriginal Ameri-
can Literature, no. vn, Ancient Nahuatl Poetry,
introd., p, 29, Philadelphia, 1887.

AND MONOGRAPHS

212

GOLDSMITH'S ART

46. Brinton, ibid., p. 65. This song is a
part of a collection which was undoubtedly
brought together by Father Sahagun. Brinton
published a portion of them from a faulty copy
made by Brasseur de Bourbourg. Dr Peiia-
fiel has issued a sumptuous edition of the songs,
in facsimile, under the title, Cantares en Idioma
Mexicano, Mexico, 1904. In his Colecci6n
de Documentos para la Historia de Mexico.
Mexico, 1899, Penafiel printed a transcription of
these songs, made from the original manuscript
which is conserved in the Biblioteca Nacional. |
City of Mexico. As yet the only translation
which the writer knows of is that into English i
by Brinton, which includes fewer than a third
of the songs.

47. Brinton, in his Library of Aboriginal i
Literature, no. vin, "Rig Veda Americanus ;
Sacred Songs of the Ancient Mexicans," pp i
56-58, first published the original text and an
English translation. This song is part of a |
collection contained in the Nahuatl version of
Sahagun's great History of the Things of Ne\v
Spain, as yet unpublished, and conserved in
the private library of the King of Spain. Seler
later made a copy of the collection and pub-
lished them with a translation into German and
with copious explanatory notes in his Gesam-
melte Abhandlungen zur Amerikanischen Sprach-
und Alterthumskunde, Bd. n, Berlin, 1904.
Seler shows that the translations of Brintcih are
exceedingly faulty. On this subject see the
paper by Seler, On Ancient Mexican Religious
Poetry, in Proceedings of the International Con-
gress of Americanists, 13th Session, New York,
pp. 171-174.

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

213

48. On this point consult the work of

Sahagun. See note 58.

49. The following are some of the more

common words used in connection with gold

objects: teocnitlamecatl, a chain or necklace;

mecatl, a cord; tcocuitlamaquizlli, a gold bracelet;

maquiztli, bracelet; teocmtla-cozcatl, gold jewel;

cozcall, jewel; tcocm'/laconialli, gold plate or

disc; comalli, the clay griddle of circular form;

teocuitlacoyoUi, gold bell; coyolli, bell. See

Alonzo de Molina, Vocabulario Mexicano,

Mexico, 1571.

50. "Those who stole silver and gold were

flayed alive, and sacrificed to the god of the

goldsmiths and silversmiths who was called

Xipe, and were taken through the streets as a

warning to others, for it was a crime against

the false god." Vetancurt, Teatro Mexicano,

tomo i, Parte segundo, Tratado tercero, cap.

xiii, p. 484, second ed., Mexico, 1870.

51. Anonymous Conqueror, op. cit., pp.

65-67.

52. Obras Historicas de Don Fernando de

Alva Ixtlilxochitl, tomo n, Historia Chichimeca,

cap. xxxvi, p. 180, published in Mexico in 1892

under the editorship of Alfredo Ch'avero.

53. Kingsborough edition, op. cit., vol. i,

pi. 71, fig. 24.

54. The Mappe Tlotzin once formed a part

of the Collection of Boturini. It is mentioned

by him in his Catalogo del Museo Indiano,

Madrid, 1746, in sec. in, no. 3, p. 4. It was

acquired by Aubin, and later by Goupil, being

now in the Boturini Aubin-Goupil Collection

AND MONOGRAPHS

214

GOLDSMITH'S ART

in the National Library, Paris. It has been

published in colors, pi. i-m, in Memoires sur la

Peinture Didactique et 1' ficriture Figurative
des Anciens Mexicains, par J. M. A. Aubin,

with an introduction by E. T. Hamy, Paris,

1885. The illustration we give is on pi. n.

55. Fray Toribio de Motolinia, Historia de

los Indios de la Nueva Espana, in Coleccion de

Documentos para la Historia de Mexico, publi-

cada por Joaquin Garcia Icazbalceta, tomo i.

cap. xiii, pp. 212-213, Mexico, 1858.

56. Two gilded atlatls came to light a few

years ago in Florence which are splendid ex-

amples of this class of decoration. They have

been illustrated and described by David I.

Bushnell, Jr., in the article "Two Ancient

Mexican Atlatls," published in the American

Anthropologist, N. s., vol. 7, no. 2, April- June.

1905, pp. 218-221, pi. xxi-xxii. Bushnell writes

"The carved surfaces of both specimens were

originally covered with a thin layer of yellow

gold, the greater portion of which still adheres.

although on the higher, more exposed parts of

the relief, it has been rubbed or worn away."

These specimens are now preserved in the
Museo Nazionale d' Antropologia ed Etnologia

del R. Institute di Studi Superiori in Florence.

There is another specimen, equally richly carved

and covered with gold, in the Kircheriana

Museum in Rome.

57. Fray Juan de Torquemada, Segunda

Parte de los Veinte i Un Libros Rituales i

Monarchia Indiana, lib. in, cap. xxxiv, p. 487,

2d ed., Madrid, 1723.

58. Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, Historia

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

215

General de las Cosas de Nueva Espana que en
Doce Libros y Dos Volumenes escribio el
R. P. Fr. Bernardino de Sahagun, published by
Carlos Maria de Bustamante, tomo n, lib. ix.
cap. xv, p. 387, Mexico, 1829. Also published
by Lord Kingsborough, op. cit, vol. v, chap,
i-xl, of the sixth book, pp. 346-493. Vol. vi,
464 pp. (London, 1831), contains books one to
five, chapters xli-xliii of the sixth book, and
books seven to twelve.

59. Eduard Seler, L' Orfe'verie des Anciens
Mexicains et leur Art de Travailler la Pierre et
de Faire des Ornements en Plumes, Compte
rcndu de la Vllleme Session dit Congres Inter-
national des Americanistes, Paris, 1890, pp.
401-452. The chapter on the goldsmiths is
on pp. 401-418. This paper, with slight changes
in the French translation of the Nahuatl text,
and some revision, is included in his Gesammelte
Abhandlungen zur Arnerikanischen Sprach-
und Alterthumskunde, zweiter Band, Berlin,
1904, pp. 620-634. In his introduction Seler
writes: "It is a well established fact that the
arts and industries of ancient Mexico had come
to a high degree of perfection. The historians
of the Conquest are full of admiration for the
\vorks that Mexican gold-workers executed, as
well as the stone workers, the jewelers and the
artisans of featherwork. In order to be con-
vinced of the justice of their commendation,
it is enough to examine the long list of objects
enumerated in the "Memoria delos plumajes y
joyas que se envian d Espana para dar y repartir
d las iglesias e monasteries e personas parti cut arcs
siguientes" (Coleccion de Documentos Ineditos del

AND MONOGRAPHS

216

GOLDSMITH'S ART

\Archiw General de Indias, t. xn, pp. 318, 345),
objects that the conquerors thought worthy of
consideration by the side of the ornaments with
which they covered the images of the saints
and the rich vestments of the priests of the
Church.

"Unfortunately, there remain to us but
very few of these masterpieces. As to the
gold objects, they were sent to the melting pot.
The coats of feathers and the round shields
were lost, ruined by vermin. There are only
the objects worked in polished stone which have
been saved in any considerable quantity.

"Up to the present, we know very little
about the methods of working employed by
these artisans. As these professions continued
during the first century which followed the
conquest, the historians, for the most part,
did not take the trouble of going into detail
with the subject. They refer the reader to
the artisans themselves and not to their work.
Among the articles that Father Sahagun col-
lected, there are three chapters which treat of
technical subjects. But the venerable priest
has not wished to make a translation of it
because 'the contents of this chapter have no
connection with the Faith, and do not bear on
Morality in any way.'

"In the month of May in the year 1890,
I was permitted, thanks to the kindness and
obligingness of competent authorities, to study
the two fragmentary manuscripts of the orig-
inal text in Aztec of the work of Father Sahagun.
which were preserved in the libraries of Madrid.
I profited by this occasion by making an exact
copy of the three following chapters. They

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

217

constituted a part of the Manuscrit de 1' Aca-

demic de 1' Histoire, a manuscript which forms

the second half of the work of Father Sahagun

from the eighth book. The first of these

chapters, corresponding to the sixteenth chap-

ter of the ninth book of the Spanish edition,

commences on the second page of folio 44 of

said manuscript.

60. Sahagun, op. cit., tomo 11, cap. vi, pp.

388-389.

61. Arqueologia Zapoteca, Memoria leida

por el Dr Nicolas Le6n en la Sociedad Mexicana

de Geografia y Estadistica (Separate edition,

18 pages, pi.), Mexico, 1900.

62. It may be well to record here a state-

ment regarding gilding, which thus far has

never been verified. If it were true, a very

important trade secret has been lost. Oviedo

y Valdes (Historia General y Natural de

Indias, t. I, lib. vi, cap. viii, p. 189, Madrid,

1851), in writing about the natives of Central

America, states that they knew how to "gild

the pieces or things which they worked from

copper and very base gold, in a manner resemb-

ling gold of 23 carats/' This color was im-

parted by means of certain herbs, which pro-

cess they kept a secret from the Spaniards,

although Oviedo further remarks that he made

repeated attempts to induce the Indians to

tell him the secret of this gilding, which they

refused to do.

Martinez Gracida believes that gilding was

accomplished by the use of quicksilver. He

writes: "Gilding, according to reports brought

together from lost traditions, seems to have

AND MONOGRAPHS

218 GOLDSMITH'S ART

! been executed by the Indians with quicksilver.
| The formula was a portion of gold and a por-
j tion of quicksilver. The liquid was smeared on
| the piece of copper or silver, and then placed
I in the fire so as to volatilize the quicksilver."
He states that some believe that gilding was
accomplished by the Indians by the use of the
juice of a tree, and, quoting from Father Gay,
says that there are certain trees in Oaxaca
which when cut stain 'the instrument a pure
gold color. Manuel Martinez Gracida, Mineria
y su Industria; Paginas de la obra inedita Los
Indies Oaxaquenos y sus Monumentos Arque-
ologicos. Adas de la Undecima Congreso Inter-
national de Americanistas, Mexico, 1895. In
this paper is also the following statement:
"Tenemos como cosa cierta, pero no la podemos
probar porque se perdio las formula 6 procedi-
miento, que los plateros indios conocian una
o dos plantas que Servian para reblandecer los
metales de oro, plata y cobre, hasta ponerlos
en estado de pasta, con la que formaban sus
artefactos." The work of Father Gay, referred
to, is Historia de Oaxaca, t. i, cap. rv, pp. 61-62.

63. Museo Mexicano, t. i, p. 401, Mexico,
1843. It has also been figured by Bancroft,
Native Races of the Pacific States, vol. iv,
Antiquities, p. 422, San Francisco, 1882.

64. Penafiel, op. cit, text, p. 21; plates,
pi. iii, fig. 6.

65. Thomas A. Joyce, Mexican Archaeology,
p. 145, fig. 24, New York, 1914.

66. Penafiel, op. cit., pi. iii, fig. 4.

67. Leopoldo Batres, Antropologia Mexi-
cana, Documento numero 140, pi. xxvii, figs.

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

219

9, 10. This work is an appendix to the

Memoria que el Secretario de Justicia e In-

struccion Publica Licenciado Joaquin Baranda

presenta al Congreso de la Union, Mexico, 1889.

68. Teobert Maler, Decouverte d' un

Tombeau Royal Zapoteque, a Tehuantepec

en 1875, La Nature, Paris, June 24, 1879.

pp. 22-24. The illustrations have been copied

by Nadaillac in his Prehistoric America, New

York, 1890, pp. 369, 371.

69. Alfredo Chavero, Mexico a Traves de

los Siglos, 1. 1, p. 407, Mexico, Barcelona, 1887.

70. Joyce, op. cit. pi. xi, fig. 5; also Chavero,

op. cit., p. 408.

71. These two pieces are also illustrated by

Chavero, op. cit., pp. 407-408. Our plate vi, a,

has also been illustrated in colors by Penafiel,

op. cit., pi. 113.

72. See Penafiel, op. cit., pi. iii, fig. 8.

73. Batres, op. cit., pi. xxvii, fig. 4; also

Penafiel, op. cit., pi. iii, fig. 3.

74. Francisco del Paso y Troncoso, Escritura

Pictorica. Codice Kingsborough, lo que nos

Ensena. Proceedings of the Eighteenth Inter-

national Congress of 'Americanists, London,

1912, pp. 455-460, pi. Troncoso describes the

contents as follows: "It is a memorial or

statement by the native inhabitants of Tepet-

laoztoc (a small hill-town between Tetzcoco

and Otumba) of the extortionate tribute

exacted, and the ill-treatment suffered under

the Spanish masters to whom successively

they had been assigned by the King of Spain."

75. In the sale catalog of the Wilkinson col-

AND MONOGRAPHS

I. N. M. — 2

220

GOLDSMITH'S ART

lection of Mexican books in 1914 a copy of the

Gates reproduction is thus described: "Codex

Tepeztlaustuc. A Mexican picture ms. with

portraits of many of the Conquistadores, the

native chief men, the exactions imposed,

jewels, feather ornaments, mantles, etc., build-

ings erected, and various historical matter.

Folio, pp. 140. This work is probably one of

the most beautifully executed pieces of work

that have come down to us; dating from the

period immediately following the Conquest,

the technical execution is beyond praise. The

illustrations are accompanied by a text in

Spanish, in an exquisite hand, giving the names

of the personages and the entire story of the

incidents related." This copy was purchased

by the Hispanic Society of America. There is

another copy in the library of Peabody Museum.
! Harvard University.

76. Le6n Pinelo, Biblioteca Occidental, t. n,

titulo xiv, p. 700, 2d ed., Madrid, 1738.

77. Kingsborough, op. cit., vol. I, pi. 68,

no. 28.

78. Ibid., pi. 48, nos. 24, 25.

79. This figure has been published by Seler

in Die Mexikanischen Bilderhandschriften

Alexander von Humboldt's in der Kgl. Biblio-

thek zu Berlin, Berlin, 1893. A translation

! has appeared in Bulletin 28 of the Bureau of

American Ethnology, Washington: The Mexican

Picture Writings of Alexander von Humboldt

in the Royal Library at Berlin. The drawing

is Fragment in, pi. vni, of the Bureau publica-

tion. The original painting on maguey paper

was formerly a part of the Boturini collection.

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

221

80. Penafiel, Indumentaria Antigua Mexi-
cana, Mexico, 1903, pi. 15, 4b.

81. For more detailed information con-
cerning Mexican shields the reader is referred
to the paper by Mrs Zelia Nuttall on "Ancient
Mexican Shields," published in Internationales
Archiv filr Ethnographic, Bd. v, Leiden, 1892;
also to Ferdinand von Hochstetter's memoir,
"Ueber Mexikanischen Reliquien aus der Zeit
Montezuma's in der K. K. Ambraser Samm-
lung," Separatabdruck aus dem xxxv Bande
der Denkschriften der Philosophisch-Historischen
Classe der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissen-
schaften, Wien, 1884, pi. iv.

82. The Book of the Life of the Ancient
Mexicans, Containing an Account of their
Rites and Superstitions, an Anonymous
Hispano-Mexican Manuscript Preserved at the
Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Florence, Italy,
Reproduced in Facsimile with Introduction,
Translation, and Commentary, by Zelia Nuttall.
Part i, introduction and facsimile, Berkeley,
1903.

83. Codex Magliabecchiano XIII. 3. Manu-
scrit Mexicain Post-Colombien de la Biblio-
teca Nazionale de Florence reproduit en
photochromographie aux frais du Due de
Loubat, Rome, 1904.

84. George Byron Gordon, "The Serpent
Motive in the Ancient Art of Central America
and Mexico," reprinted from Transactions^
Department of Archeology, University of Penn-
sylvania, vol. i, part iii, Philadelphia, 1905,
pi. xvi-xvii.

AND MONOGRAPHS

222

GOLDSMITH'S ART

85. See paper by the writer, "The Cruciform
Tombs of Mitla and Vicinity," Putnam Anni-
versary Volume, New York, 1909.

86. Penafiel, Monumentos del Arte Mexi-
cano Antiguo, pi. in, fig. 5. Batres, op. cit.,
pi. xxvii, fig. 5.

87. Le6n, op. cit., fig. 3a.

88. Records of the Past, vol. vin, parts 3, 4,
May- June, July- Aug., 1909.

89. Penafiel, op. cit., pi. Ill, fig. 7. Le6n,
op. cit., fig. lOa.

90. Penafiel, op. cit., pi. Ill, fig. 7 (central
figure).

91. This specimen was collected by Hermann
Strebel, and has been described and illustrated
by him in Alt-Mexiko, first part, p. 51, and
pi. xvi, fig. 7, Hamburg und Leipzig, 1885.
This site is just north of the road taken by
Cortes in his march from Vera Cruz to the
present city of Jalapa. Our illustration is
from a photograph furnished by Professor Seler.

92. Penafiel, op. cit., pi. Ill, fig. 9.

93. In the Lienzo de Tlaxcalla we find many
warriors wearing the eagle insignia. See Anti-
guedades Mexicanas, published by the Junta
Colombina, Mexico, 1892. Tobar, the author
of Codice Ramirez, published by Vigil in his
Biblioteca Mexicana, in the same volume with
the Cronica Mexicana of Tezozomoc, in de-
scribing events under the reign of Montezuma,
states, "There was another order of caballeros
(knights), who were called the eagles, and
another called the lions or tigers; they were
allowed to wear garments and cloaks of cotton

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

223

richly worked and decorated, and jewels of

gold and silver." (p. 87.)

94. Two specimens of this type are illus-

trated by Leon, op. cit., pi. lla, 12a.

95. Gay, op. cit., vol. i, cap. iv, p. 62.

96. Notes on Some Mexican Relics, Archeo-

logical Re port for 1900, Toronto.

97. Penafiel, op. cit., p. 20.

98. Bernal Dfaz, op. cit., t. n, cap. xcii,

pp. 79-80.

99. Leopoldo Batres, Excavaciones en la

Calle de las Escalerillas, Mexico, 1900, pp.

22-23.

100. Eduard Seler, "Die Ausgrabungen an

Orte des Haupttempels in Mexico" (Sonderab-

druck aus Band xxxi [Der Dritten Folge Band

I] der M ' ittheilungen der Anthropologischen

Gesellschaft in Wien), Vienna, 1901, p. 137.

Also translated into Spanish, "Las Excavaciones

en el Sitio del Templo Mayor de Mexico,"

Anales del Museo National de Mexico, tomo vn,

entrega 8, March, 1902, pp. 255-256.

101. Codice Ramirez, op. cit. (see note 93),

pi. 21.

102. Francisco Plancarte, " Archeologic Ex-

plorations in Michoacan, Mexico," American

Anthropologist, vol. vi, Jan. 1893, pp. 79-84.

103. Carl Lumholtz, Unknown Mexico,

vol. n, p. 295, New York, 1902.

104. Ibid., pp. 295-299; pi. vii is a beautiful

reproduction in colors of this remarkable

specimen.

105. Marshall H. Saville, "The Glazed Ware

AND MONOGRAPHS

224

GOLDSMITH'S ART

of Central America," etc., Holmes Anniversary
Volume, Washington, 1916, pp. 421-426, pi.
i-ii.

106. E. T. Hamy, "La Dent d' Or de
Tepito," Decades Americanae, Paris, n. d.,
pp. 161-162, figs. 79-80.

107. Papantla or Tajin is the most important
known group of ruins in the state of Vera Cruz.
Unfortunately no investigations have been
carried on at this site.

108. This important specimen has been
illustrated by Penafiel, Monumentos del Arte
Mexicano Antiguo, pi. 112.

109. Since this monograph was in type the
University Museum of Philadelphia has placed
on exhibition a number of gold objects from
Mexico. One of these is the gold ring men-
tioned on p. 147 and illustrated on pi. HI,/.
Another piece is a labret representing the head
of a crested eagle, which has been figured by
Penafiel, pi. Ill, 1-2, of his Monumentos del
Arte Mexicana Antiguo. A gold bell, formerly
in the possession of Sr Antonio Rolleri, figured
by Penafiel (ibid., pi. 114), has likewise been
acquired by the University Museum. There is
also a small gold ring like the one given in our
pi. m, e, which lacks the upper decoration. In
the collection are eight small gold bells, and
four others of a larger size, onfc of which is sim-
ilar to our pi. xvm, c. Finally, there is a large
fragment, seemingly of silver, bearing a human
head projecting from the upper part; it is char-
acterized by a long nose, and various parts of
the face are outlined with broad gold bands,
while the mouth contains a portion of a mosaic

INDIAN NOTES

NOTES

225

of turquoise, and shell inlays are found in
places. This fragment may well be the central
feature of one of the numerous shields sent to
Spain by Cortes, mentioned in the inventories.
There is also a gold bell somewhat like the bell
figured in our pi. xv, b.
110. Through inadvertence the following
paragraph was omitted in translating this
inventory:

For the Lords Officials of the Casa de
Contrataci6n (House of Trade)'

Item: three shields, one, the field blue and
a serpent in the middle, and [a] red feather
in the middle; another, the field green, and
another serpent of gold and blue; the other, the
field blue and a red serpent of feathers and
gold in the middle.

•

AND MONOGRAPHS

INDEX

227

INDEX

Achiutla, gold object from, 172

Acocozpa, tribute paid by, 109

Acuitlapan, tribute paid by, 109

Adarmes of silver, 30

Admiral of Castilla, gifts to, 62

Adrian VI addressed by Peter Martyr, 195

Age of gold objects, 8

A guitar, Alonso de, see A guitar, Francisco de

A guitar, Francisco de, on Aztec treasure, 42-43;

on gold and silver wheels, 35; on Spanish

loot, 193; on the gold disc, 37

Alabaster, pitchers of, 17

Alaminos, a pilot, 195

Alar as, Anton de, gold taken by, 91

Alba, Duke of, gifts to, 65

Albornoz, Rodrigo de, paymaster, 97

Alcarrazas of gold, 70

Alderete, Julian, King's proctor, 86, 87, 96

Alfaro, Luis Hernandez de, gold consigned to,

89,90

Alloys made by Aztecs, 134

Alonso, Domingo, shipmaster, 209

Alum used in gold-working, 132, 140-142

Amazons, report of 18-19

Amber, labrets of, 71, 112, 113

American Museum of Natural History, gold ob-

jects in, 150, 170, 171, 173, 174, 181

AND MONOGRAPHS

228

GOLDSMITH'S ART

i American Philosophical Society, leaves of Codex
Mendoza in, 210

Animal-head of gold, 69; ornamented with gold,
18; with metal bells, 29. See Head

Animals represented on blowguns, 52

Anonymous Conqueror cited, 114, 119, 213;
translation of, 211

Antiparras defined, 33. See Leggings

Apple of gold, 17

Archer, Lord, gold cup possessed by, 104

Armlets of gilded silver, 84; of gold, 12,71; of
gold, silver, and featherwork, 200; of mosaic-
work, 25; of silver, 30, 84; of skin, 84; of skin,
greenstone, and gold, 82

Armor of gold, 17, 75; of mosaic-work, 25, 26.
See Capacetes.

Arrow as nose-ornament, 127; of gold, 76, 192;
of gold and feathers, 57; on shield ornament,
152, 153, 156-157; with shield of gold, 98

Astudillo, gold given to, 91

Atlatls, gilded, 17, 122, 185, 214

Atzcapotzalco, an Aztec town, 48; goldsmiths of,
117, 124, 176

Atibin, J. M. A., Boturini collection acquired
by, 213

Averramia of gold, 71

Avila, Alonso de, takes loot to Spain, 31, 209

Axayaca, father of Montezuma, 45

Axayacatl, gold brought from Michoacan for,
185

Axes, copper, at Tehuantepec, 12. See Hatch-
ets.

Ayocinlepec, tribute paid by, 112

Ayotzintepec, tribute paid by, 112
I Azcapotzalco, see Atzcapotzalco
i Azores, Spanish loot reaches, 89, 91, 209

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

229

Baeza, Governor, gift to, 66

Bags sent to King, 97, 100; used in trade, 19.
See Pouch

Bancroft, H. H., cited, 218

Baranda, Joaquin, cited, 219

Barcia, A. Consoles, edition of Herrera by, 211

Batres, Leopoldo, cited, 150, 164, 179, 218, 219,
223

Beads, clay, with gold-leaf, 17; glass, used in
trade, 12, 19; gold, crown of, 14; of gilded
wood, 16; of gold, 13, 16, 17, 71, 85, 100,
145, 170, 173, 181; of gold on armor, 26; of
gold on head-piece, 29; of jadeite on idols,
180; of stone found in tomb, 147; on gold
flowers, 70; on gold necklace, 67, 68; on gold
object, 174; represented in codex, 108, 112;
sent to King, 97; with gilding, 182. See
Rosary

Beards represented on idol, 186

BeQotes, see Lip-ornaments

Bee of gold on shield, 63

Bells as ear-ornaments, 69; as ring pendants,
145; Aztec name for, 213; beads used as, 101;
in form of monkey-head, 172; of gold, 12,
16, 23, 25, 26, 29, 38-39, 76, 115, 168, 170,
181, 183, 184, 196-r98, 203, 204, 224 ; of
turquoise in Aztec poetry, 116; on eagle-
head ornament, 149; on gold collars, 129; on
gold jewel, 148-150; on shield ornament, 152,
156; represented in codex, 108, 112; with
beads, 98

Benavides, Alonso de, gold taken by, 89

Berendt, C. H., drawings of gold objects by, 146,
163, 164

Berlin Museum, gold objects in, 149, 169, 174

AND MONOGRAPHS

230

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Bernal Diaz del Castillo, cited, 190, 208, 210,
223; on Aztec sacrifice, 34-35; on Aztec treas-
ure, 45, 48, 102; on barter at Tehuantepec,
12; on defeat of Spaniards, 53-55; on Friar
Aguilar, 42; on gifts by Montezuma, 40, 191-
192; on gold and silver wheels, 35; on gold
from Cuba, 10; on grave robbery by Span-
iards, 143; on GrijaTva's expedition, 11; on
Montezuma's suspicion, 47; on saucers of
gold, 104; on temple of Tenochtitlan, 177; on
Tepaneco goldsmiths, 117; on the gold disc,
37; Spanish loot described by, 192-193

Beryl, lip-ornaments of, 113-114

Biblioteca National, Mexico, Aztec songs in, 212

Biblioteca Nazionale, Florence, codex in, 221

Bibliotheque National, Paris, Boturini collection
in, 214

Birds formed of gold, 26, 68, 85, 97, 198, 204,
205; in featherwork, 59; in featherwork and
gold, 27, 59, 65; ornaments representing,
128, 138; represented on blowguns, 52; rep-
resented on carnicles, 67; represented on
idols, 115; represented on shields, 66, 77;
used for ornament, 17; with chalchihuite, 100

Bishop of Burgos, gifts to, 61

Bishop of Palencia, gifts to, 63

Bitumen used for mosaic, 115

Blowguns given to Cortes, 52

Blowpipes, use of, 14, 107, 120, 121

Board of Trade, see House of Commerce

Bodleian Library, Codex Mendoza in, 210

Bolivia, gold cups from, 104

Bollones on necklace, 67; on shield, 84

Books (codices) in Spanish loot, 29

Bottles, gold, from Colombia, 187

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

231

Boturini collection cited, 213, 220

Bowl, decorated, from Texcoco, 162. See Pottery

Bows of gold sent to Spain, 192

Box of leather and featherwork, 24

Bracelets, Aztec name for, 213; of gold, 12, 15,
71, 85, 198, 204; with eagle-claws, 82

Brasseur de Bourbourg, Aztec song copied by, 212

Brazales, see Wristguards

Breast-ornaments of gold, 175, 180, 183; on
idols, 186

Brinton, D. G., cited, 116; on ancient Nahuatl
poetry, 211; on existence of certain codex,
155

British Columbia, labrets worn in, 173

British Museum, copy of Codex Kingsborough
presented to, 154; Mexican manuscripts in,
153

Bronze age of Europe, 7

Bronze objects of Middle America, 7

Brooch, gold, found in tomb, 151

Bucklers of gold, 198

Bugle presented to King, 79, 99

Burgos, castle of, compared with Mexican fort,
106; certification of gold objects at, 102.
See Crucificio of Burgqs

Bushndl, D. L, Jr., cited, 214

Buskins among Spanish loot, 12, 197

Bustamante, C. M. de, cited, 123-125, 215; edi-
tion of Sahagun by, 207

Butterflies as ear-ornaments, 69; nose-ornaments
in form of, 181; of gold, 58, 83; of gold, stone,
and shell, 70, 83; ornaments in form of, 98,
150; represented on head-crest, 78; repre-
sented on shield, 63, 76

Buttons, blue, on chasuble, 58; of gold, 123

AND MONOGRAPHS

232

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Cacao sold for King, 94

Cadiz, gold cup purchased at, 104

Calabashes represented on shield, 160-163; uten-
sils of, 84-85. See Gourds

Calendar represented on gold disc, 37, 38

Camotlan, tribute paid by, 110

Campeche, C6rdova on coast of, 10; gold objects
from, 188

Canister of gold, 16

Canteens, gold, from Colombia, 187

Capacetes defined, 34

Caparetes, see Capacetes

Cape of feathers and tiger-skin, 74; with gold
buttons, 58. See Mozelta

Carbajal, Dr, gifts to, 65
i Cardinal of Torlosa, gifts to, 62
! Carlos, see King of Spain

Carnicles given to King, 67

Carochi, Horacio, cited, 116, 211

Casa de Contratacitn, 21, 32, 64, 225. See
House of Commerce

Castellane, value of, 196

Castellanos, A., gold objects in collection of, 172

Caterpillar represented on fan, 59

Cathedral of Mexico City, historic site of, 178

Celts of copper in grave^ 166

Censer of featherwork, 29. See Poma

Central America, gilding in, 217; gold objects
from, 184

Cerro Montoso, gold objects from, 169

Cervantes de Salazar, P., cited, 207, 208; on
gifts of gold to Cortes, 41; on Spanish losses,

Chains, Aztec name for, 213; of gold, 49, 72, 99,
196

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

233

Chalchihuite, medals ornamented with, 72; of-
fered to Tenochtitlan temple, 177; on lion
ornament, 98; on mirror, 67; set in ornaments,
98-101; ornaments of, 46, 68-69; shell orna-
mented with, 70

Chapel of Sanl Elifonso, gifts to, 57

Charcoal used in gold-working, 126-131, 137,
140, 142

Charles V, loot received by, 32. See King of
Spain

Chasubles of featherwork, 57-59

Chavero, Alfredo, cited, 213, 219; gold objects
described by, 148-149

Chiapas, source of gold tribute, 113

Chicken Itza, gold objects from, 189

Chimalli, the Mexican shield, 152

Chinantecs, gold from land of, 105

Chinantlan, tribute paid by, 112

C/iipcllan, tribute paid by, 109

Chiriqui, gold objects from, 169, 181, 187

Cholula, Cortes at, 40; pottery from, 184; seat
of Quetzalcoatl, 117

Churches, gifts to, 57-60

Cicadas formed of gold 68; made of feathers, 62;
of gold in necklace, 68; of gold on shield, 65,
66; of gold with rosary, 98; with chalchi-
huites and turquoise , 100

Cimeras, see Helmets

Clavigero, F, X., cited, 206; on Spanish loot, 204

Clay used in gold-working, 126, 129, 136, 139,
142

Clayton, Thomas, gold objects purchased by, 148

Clothing of cotton in Spanish loot, 30-31. See
Cotton; Garments

Coatelicamat, ruler of Culua, 106-107

AND MONOGRAPHS

234

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Coatlan, gold object from, 173

Coaxomulco, tribute paid by, 110

Cobos, Secretary, gifts to, 63

Cocamaloapa, tribute paid by, 112

CoQumatle, see Weasels

Codex, gold jewel represented in, 153; idols rep-
resented in, 180; tribute depicted in, 108.
See Books -

Codex Kingsborough described, 219; history of,
154-156; manta pattern in, 161; shield de-
sign in, 159. See Codex Tepeztlaustuc

Codex Magliabecchiano cited, 221

Codex Mendozoa depicts goldsmith, 120; draw-
ing of shield from, 157; published by Kings-
borough, 211; Tribute Roll in, 210.

Codex Ramirez, cited, 222, 223; Tezcatlipoca rep-
resented in, 180

Codex Tepeztlaustuc described, 154-156, 220.
See Codex Kingsborough

Coixtlahuacan, tribute paid by, 110

Collars of featherwork, 57; of gold, 16, 129, 132,
133, 192, 193; of gold and mosaic, 23; of green-
stone and gold, 82; of idols, 115; of leather
and feathers, 84; of shells and gold, 40

Colombia, gold fish-hooks from, 20; gold objects
from, 187 i

Comalli defined, 213. See Plaque

Conch-shells, design representing, 161-162. See

Shells
, Constable of Castilla, gifts to, 62

Copal used in gold-working, 129

Copper objects in graves, 147, 166; objects of
Middle America, 7; tools of, for gold-working,
120, 136, 142; worked by Aztecs, 134

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

235

Cdrdoba, F. H. de, expedition of, 9, 10; paper on,
190

Cdrdova, Juan de, gold consigned to, 89, 90

Corn represented in featherwork, 57

Cornstalk sent to King, 74

Corselet given Grijalva, 12; gold embroidered, 59;
of feathers and gold, 56; of gold armor, 75, 79

Cortes, Herndn, atlatls sent to Spain by, 122;
certification by, 96; examines Aztec treasure,
45-47; expedition of, 20; gold gathered for,
102, 103; gold objects given to, by Monte-
zuma, 40, 193; gold treasure stamped by, 49;
informed of saucers of gold, 104; inventory
signed by, 66; jewels registered by, 97; let-
ters of, cited, 206, 208, 210, 211; loot received
by, 195; objects sent to King by, 31, 79-88,
202; on defeat of Spaniards, 55; on Monte-
zuma's treasure, 35, 41-42, 50^53, 119; on
source of gold, 105; on Tenochtitlan market,
119; on the Royal fifths, 22; route from Vera
Cruz to Jalapa, 222; shields obtained by, 85;
shields sent to King by, 95, 159; wheels of
gold and silver given to, 35

Cortes Society, publications of, cited, 190, 211

Costa Rica, gold objects , from, 169, 181

Cotastla identified with Cuetlaxtla, 20

Cotton, cloth of, presented to Cortes, 52; cloth
of, sent to King, 85; garments, 18, 30-31, 44,
205, 206; garments of gold and, 198-200;
garments of, insignia of knights, 222; mantles
made of, 18; sold for King, 94; woven with
double woof, 34

Coyoacan, see Cuyoacan

Coyollapan, tribute paid by, 110

Coyolli defined, 213

AND MONOGRAPHS

I .N. M. — 2

236

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Cozcatl defined, 213

Cozumel, island of, 19

Crab, ornaments representing, 81, 128

Cremation in Mexico, 114

Crests of featherwork, 197; of gold and feather-
work, 192. See Crown; Head-crest; Head-
dress; Helmets; Miter

Crocodile of gold, 25, 26, 205

Cross on gold flowers, 70; on serpent ornament,
100; sent to King, 99. See Crucifix

Crowns of featherwork, gold, and stones, 205;
of gold and featherwork, 198; of gold beads,
14; of gold given Grijalva, 12; represented on
gold jewel, 148. See Crest; Diadem; Head-
piece; Helmet; Miter

Crucible in gold-working, 14, 120, 121, 131, 139,
140, 142

Crucificio of Burgos, gift to, 58

Crucifix of gold, 99; on eagle ornament, 100;
sent to King, 97, 99; silver, on ornament, 101.
See Cross

Cruciform Tomb, grecque pattern from, 162

Crystal, lip-ornaments of, 67, 112-113

Cuba, expedition from, hi 1519, 20; gold objects
from, 10; Grijalva in, 14

Cuervo, Francisco, gold taken by, 90

Cuetlaxlla subject to Aztecs, 20

Cuevas, Mariano, cited, 209; list of jewels pub-
lished by, 96

Cuezcomatilla, tribute paid by, 112

Cuicatlan, tribute paid by, 110

Cuilapam, see Coyollapan

Culiacan, war in, 93

Culua, Spaniards visit, 106-107

Cumplido, Ignacio, Prescott published by, 208

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

237

Cups of gold, 16, 44, 99, 103-104

Cuyoacan, certificate of objects executed at,

86,96

Cuzula, gold from, 105-106

Ddvila, Alonso, King's proctor, 49, 53, 72, 86,

87, 90, 91

Death's figure of greenstone and gold, 81

Death's head of gold, 69. See Skull

Deer of gold, 192-193

Deerskin among Spanish loot, 29, 200; leggings

trimmed with, 23; shoes of gold and, 198

Designs, how applied to ornaments, 135; on

Mexican shields, 156-160

Diadems of gold, 11, 13; represented in codex,

108, 112. See Crest

Diaz, Juan, cited, 190; on gold among Sacri-

ficios islanders, 13; on Grijalva's expedition,

11

Dienz, Diego, loot examined by, 36, 191, 193

Discs of gold, 24, 70, 151, 180, 181; of gold and

silver, 200; of gold, Aztec name for, 213; of

precious stones, 194; represented in codex,

109. See Wheels

Dog-head of mosaic, 18

Dona Juana, see Queen of Spain

Donate, see Onate

Doorman, Agustin, rings in possession of, 145

Doublet of colored feathers, 18. See Garments

Dragon represented in gold, 193. See Monsters

Drums of silver in Aztec poetry, 116; sent to

King, 79

Duck-head of gold and greenstone, 81

Ducks of feathers and gold, 58; of gold, 11, 70,

71, 192, 198, 205; of gold in Cuba, 10

AND MONOGRAPHS

238

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Duran, Diego, cited, 158, 208; manuscript of,
207; on Aztec gold, 42-45

Eagle and tiger ornament, 100; insignia of war-
riors, 222; of feathers on shield, 64, 77; of
gold, 16, 60, 64-65, 70, 98, 99; of gold and
feathers, 74; of gold and jewels, 83; on gold
rings, 99; represented on girdle, 97; with
gold- work, 59
Eagle-beak in gold, 74
Eagle-claws of silver and gold, 71. 82; on rapier,

97

Eagle-head as lip-ornament, 172; in gold, 149,
171, 174; on labret, 224; on necklaces, 67;
on rapier, 97; on shield, 204
Earl of Oxford, gold cup purchased by, 104
Ear-ornaments of gold, 69, 71, 82, 97, 150; of

mosaic, 26, 29

Earrings of gold, 15-17, 166, 207
Earth, see Goddess of the Earth
Ecuador, gold objects from, 20, 187
Eden, translation of Martyr by, 195
El Fuerte, gold objects from, 165-166
Embroidery of gold, 27, 57, 59, 61, 73, 74, 77,

85

Emeralds set in stone head, 69
Escalerillas Street, Mexico, excavations in, 179
Esmeraldas, Ecuador, gold objects from, 187
Ethnographical Museum of Berlin, gold objects

in, 149, 169, 174
Elian, tribute paid by, 110
European archeology, method of studying, 7

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

239

Face of chalchihuite, 84; of greenstone, 83
Fans of featherwork, 27, 29, 66, 197, 205; of
feathers and embroidery, 58; of feathers and
gold, 17, 24, 28, 58, 59, 78, 200; of feather-
work and turtle-bone, 78; of gold, 192; of
tortoise-shell, 60; with flowers and embroid-
ery, 57; with gold idol, 15. See Mosqueador
Feathers, see Quills

Featherwork among Spanish loot, 24, 51-52, 72-
76, 197, 202; box made of, 24; destruction of,
216; of ancient Mexico, 189; on garments,
18, 23, 199, 200; on golden snake, 194; on
rods, 34; on shields, 17, 103, 158, 159; repre-
sented in codex, 154; various objects of, 24-
31, 56-85, 205
Feather-workers, designs for metal made by,

135

Fernandez, Vicente, gold taken by, 91
Figneroa, graves robbed of jewels by, 143
Filigree, gold and silver, 189; objects of, 149,

164, 169, 171, 174, 186
Finger-rings found in tomb, 145. See Rings
Fish, how made in metal, 121; of gold, 34, 97-99,

128, 198, 205

Fish-hooks of gold, 16, 19-20, 191
Florence, Italy, Mexican- codex in, 160
Flowers of chalchihuite, 68; of gold, 57, 70, 82,

129, 138, 196; of gold and silver, 70; of snail-
shells, 71; of stone, 70; of stone and gold, 81;
represented on blowguns, 52

Flutes of gold, 68

Fonseca, Antonio de, gifts to, 65

Forsyth, L. M. N., on gold objects, 165-168

Frog of gold, 16, 173, 201

Funeral-urns, symbols on, 172

AND MONOGRAPHS

240

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Gallego, Pedro, gold taken by, 91

Garments, cotton, insignia of knights, 222; gold-
en, in Aztec poetry, 117; of cotton and gold,
198-200; of feathers, 159; of tiger-skin, 72,
74; represented in codex, 161; sent to King,
79; used in trade, 19

Gates, W. E., on Codex Tepeztlaustuc, 154-155,
220.

Gay, Father, cited, 175, 218, 223

Gayangos, Pascual de, cited, 206, 207, 209

Geological stratification, European archeology
based on, 7

Gilding in Central America, 217; of atlatls, 122;
of beads, 16. See Leaf-gold

Girdles of featherwork, 197; of idols, 115; sent
to King, 99; with ornaments, 97, 101. See
Clothing; Garments

Girls, Indian, sent to Spain, 32

Glass objects used in trade, 19

Gloves of tanned skin, 29, 34

Goalteca heads on rings, 99

Goddess of the Earth, nose-ornament of, 181

God of Pulque, nose -ornament of, 181

Gold-leaf, see Leaf-gold

Gomara, F. L. de, cited, 191; on Aztec jewels, 38-
39; Spanish loot described by, 15-19, 191-192,
202-206

Gordon, G. B., cited, 162, 221

Goupil, Boturini collection acquired by, 213

Gourds, common use of, 160; designs of, in co-
dex, 160-162; for collecting gold, 105; gold-
dust kept in, 108-110. See Calabashes

Gracida, Martinez, on ancient gilding, 217-218

Grado, Alonso de. sends loot to Spain, 31, 79-
86,96

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

241

Granada, Archbishop of, letter on Spanish loot

written to, 194

Graves, gold objects found in, 170, 172, 173,

175, 183; near Pueblo Vie jo, 167; robbed by

Spaniards, 143. See Tomb

Grecque pattern in Mexico, 161-163

Greenstones among Spanish loot, 196; as jewels,

23; heads made of, 69-70; human face of, 69;

on gold necklaces, 38, 39; ornaments of, 69,

81,98

Greyhounds, collars for, 84; turquoise necklace

for, 71

Griddle, clay, Aztec name for, 213

Grijaha, Juan de, barter obtained by, 207; ex-

ploration by, 10, 19, 190; gold objects given

to, 11; report of, on gold objects, 14-19, 202
Guadalupe, see Our Lady of Guadalupe

Guarique defined, 206-207; of unknown mean-

ing, 34 ^

Guascaza in Spanish loot, 31

Guatemoc, interview with, 178

Guaxteca figure on mirror, 67

Guerrero, gold from, 105

Guzman, Cristdbal de, steward of Cortes, 53

Gyves, Count Henri de, gold object presented by,

176

Hair-cord of feathers and gold, 58, 74

Hamy, E. T., cited, 19, 185, 214, 224

Hand of gold with tiger figure, 101; represented

on feather-pieces, 85

Harpoons of featherwork, 24; of flint, 28. See

Spears

Hat of featherwork, 77; of gold, 79

Hatchets of copper, 205; of gold, 17. See Axes

AND MONOGRAPHS

242

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Hawkbdls as ear-ornaments, 69; in gold eagle-
tail, 70; of gold, 71; on feather branches, 75;
on necklaces, 67

Head of gold and jewels, 69, 82, 84, 194; of
Indian on ornament, 100; of shell and gold,
83; ornaments in form of, 70. See Animal -
head; Human figure; Human head; Mask

Head-band of gilded copper and gold, 84; of
gold, 15; represented in codex, 108

Head-crests of featherwork, 84; of feathers and
metals, 77, 78. See Crest

Head-dress of featherwork, 29, 61; of gold and
mosaic, 203-204; of leather and gold, 17; on
gold idol, 185-186; with gold embroidery, 74;
wooden, covered with gold, 17. See Crown;
Diadem

Hearts of gold on idols, 115; ornament formed
of, 70

Helmet of featherwork, 62, 73; of feathers and
gold, 74, 78; of gold, 15, 200; of gold and
stones, 197. See Crest; Head-dress

Hernandez, Pero, gold taken by, 89

Herrera, Antonio de, cited, 115, 211

Hieroglyphs at Monte Alban, 172; for gold, 120;
gourds represented by, 160; on gold objects,
166, 175, 185; on shield ornament, 152, 156;
represented on idols, 115; sun represented by,
175

Hispanic Society of America, codex acquired by,
220

Hochstetter, F. von, cited, 221

Holmes, W. H., Plancarte's report sent to, 182

Hoods among Spanish loot, 61, 66, 74; presented
to church,' 57; used in trade, 19

House of Birds, gold stored in, 41

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

243

House of Commerce, King's objects delivered to,

86, 96, 195, 225. See Casa de Contratacidn

Huajuapan, tomb found near, 144-145

Huaxayac, tribute paid by, 110

Huaxteca, butterfly an attribute of, 181

Huichilobos, temple of, 178

Huitzilopochtli, idol of, 114

Huitz&i gold ornaments from, 171, 172. See

San Pablo Huitzo

Human face on gold ring, 145

Human figures of gold, 13-14, 185; on gold disc,

37, 68, 196; represented in jewel, 148; repre-

sented on shield, 56-58, 76. See Idol

Human head of gold, 68, 69; represented on

cup, 104. See Head

Human sacrifice by Aztecs, 118, 177, 213; corse-

let worn at, 56; knives used in, 18; prepara-

tions for, 34-35; represented on shield, 76

Humboldt, Alexander von, cited, 209-210, 220;

Mexican paintings of, 158; on Aztec gold

cup, 104

Hunter, Annie, codex copied by, 155

Icazbaheta, J. G., cited, 190, 193, 214

Idol adorned with breast ornaments, 180; head

of gold, 176; lip-ornaments of, 173; of gold,

15, 16; ornamented with jewels, 114-115

Images sent to King, 98. See Human figures

Inventories of Spanish loot, 21-35. 56-102

Iron unknown to Middle America, 7-8

Iron age of Europe, 7

Itztli, sandals ornamented with, 204

Ixtaltepec, gold object from, 176

Ixtlilxochitl, Fernando de Aha, cited, 213

AND MONOGRAPHS

244

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Jacona, pottery with gold-leaf from, 182

Jadeite beads on idols, 180

Jamaica, Cuban gold objects known to, 10

Jars made of gold, 70, 99

Jewels, Aztec name for, 213; obtained by Cor-

te"s, 51; offered to Tenochtitlan temple, 177;

traded at Tehuan tepee, 12. See Amber;

Beryl; Chalchihuite; Crystal; Emeralds; Green-

stone; Jadeite; Ruby; Turquoise

Jicara, see Gourd

Joyce, T. A., cited, 146, 149, 218, 219

Juan Baptista, a shipmaster, 86, 87, 91

Junta Colombina, cited, 222

Juquila, gold eagle-head from, 171

King of Spain, codex in library of, 155; objects

sent to, 22, 35, 72-104; report on treasure to,

15. See Charles V

Kingsborough, Lord, cited, 123, 213, 215, 220;

Codex Mendoza published by, 111-112, 211;

Duran manuscript in collection of, 207;

Mexican manuscripts in collection of, 153
Knives, flint, for sacrificing, 18; used in trade, 19

Labret of gold in University Museum, 224.

See Lip-ornaments

Laces used in trade, 19

Lances of ancient Mexicans, 106. See Har-

poons; Spears

Las Casas on the gold wheel, 37; Spanish loot

examined by, 36, 191, 192, 199-202

Leaf-gold, earrings of, 16; manufacture of, 119,

122, 182; on armor, 17, 26; on atlatls, 214; on

clay beads, 17; on copper, 84; on leggings,

23; on pottery, 181, 184-185; on silver, 84;

on wooden plates, 18. See Gilding

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

245

Leaf-silver on leggings, 23

Leggings given to Spaniards, 23; of mosaic-
work, 25

Leo X, Martyr's description dedicated to, 195

Ledn, Francisco, gold objects in collection of,
175; on Aztec gold- working, 125

Ledn, Juan Velasquez de, debt of, to King, 93

Ledn, Nicolas, cited, 217, 222 ; gold object illus-
trated by, 164; mentioned, 125

Lion, heads of, in gold, 198; head of, on shield,
204; insignia of knights, 222; of gold, 16,
98; represented on mirror, 67

Lip-ornaments as tribute, 113; in gold object,
164; jeweled, 71, 72, 148; of gold, 172; of
quartz and gold, 85; represented in codex,
108, 112. See Labret

Lizards of gold, 11, 72, 98, 198; teeth of, in gold
necklace, 68

Lizas denned, 34

Locust, see Cicada

Lomayca, Juan de, gold taken by, 91

Loot obtained by Spaniards , 8-56. See In-
ventories

Ldpez de Balbas, Pero, golden jewels taken by, 89

Ldpez de Gomara, see Gomara

Lorenzana, Archbishop,, Tribute Roll published
by, 108, 159, 210

Lothrop, S. K., drawing of jewel furnished by,
155

Loubat, Due de, codex reproduced by, 161, 221;
interest in Mexican codex, 154

Loubat Expedition, gold not found by, 144;
grecque pattern found at Mitla by, 162

Lugo, Francisco de, Aztec treasure mentioned to,
45

AND MONOGRAPHS

246

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Lumholtz, Carl, cited, 223; gold objects obtained
by, 182-183

MacNutt, F. A., edition of Cortes letters, 208;
Peter Martyr translated by, 191

Macuilxochitl, tribute paid by, 111

Maler, Teobert, cited, 147, 148, 219

Malinaltepeque, province of, 106, 107

Maniple of wolf-skin, 25

Mantles of cotton, 18, 29, 94, 201, 202; of feath-
erwork and cotton, 205; of feathers, 18; rep-
resented in codex, 154; represented on gold
object, 166. See Clothing; Garments

Mappe Tlptzin cited, 120-121, 213

Maqnahuiils, warriors armed with, 158

Marten-skin, various objects of, 24, 25

Martin, Pedro, gift to, 64

Martyr, Peter, cited, 189, 191; describes Span-
ish loot, 195-199; on Aztec jewels, 39; on
gold necklaces, 38; on Grijalva's voyage, 19;
on Spanish treatment of Indians, 9; on the
gold wheel, 37; Spanish loot examined by,
36, 191

Masks, -gilded, 11, 17, 18; idol, of gold, 165;
of gold, 13, 176; of gold and mosaic, 71; of
gold and silver, 168; of mosaic, 17; of tiger-
skin, 71; represented on gold jewel, 148. See
Head; Human head

Mata, Hernando de la, gold received by, 91

Mats, how ornamented, 115

Maudslay, A. P., Bernal Dfaz translated by,
190

Maya region, gold objects from, 10, 188

Mazatec country, gold objects from, 167; mounds
in, 168

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

247

Mecatl defined, 213

Medals of gold, 201; of gold and jewels, 70-72,
81, 98; of gold on helmet, 73

Medellin, ornament for church in, 88

Medellin, Count de, gifts to, 66; gifts to grand-
son of, 66

Mejia, Gonzalo, King's treasurer, 49, 53

Men depicted on idols, 115. See Human fig-
ures; Idols

Mendoza, Alonso de, gold sent by, 92

Mendoza, L. T. de, cited, 209

Mendoza Codex, see Codex Mendoza

Miahuatlan, gold object found near, 173

Michapan, tribute paid by, 112

Michatlan, tribute paid by, 112

Michoacan, gilded pottery from, 182; gold ob-
jects from, 180, 184, 185

Mictlan, tribute paid by, 110

Mines, gold, in Mexico, 104-107

Mingoval, gifts to, 65

Mirrors adorned with gold, 16, 200-201, 205;
of stone and gold, 198; on eagle figure, 59;
sent to King, 67; used in trade, 19; with mo-
saic-work, 25

Miters of featherwork, gold, and stones, 205;
of gold, 31; of gold and stones, 197; of mosaic-
work, 24

Mitla, expedition to, 144; gold objects from, 170;
grecque pattern from, 162; mosaic- work at,
162. See Mictlan

Mixteca, antiquities of, 144; bell from, 168; gold
objects from, 168, 172, 174, 175, 188; tomb
found in, 151

Mixtlan, tribute paid by, 112

AND MONOGRAPHS

248

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Molds used in gold-working, 130-133, 137-140,

Molina, Alonzo de, cited, 213

Molinero, Juan, gold taken by, 91

Monasterio de las Cuevas de Sevilla, gifts to, 57

Monastery of San Francisco de la Villa de Mede-
llin, gifts to, 59-60

Monastery of the Order of San Gerdnimo, gifts to, 59

Monkeys, bells in form of, 168, 172; how made
in metal, 121; objects in form of, 169, 192

Monsters embroidered on cape, 61; in mosaic-
work, 24; of gold and mosaic, 83; on various
ornaments, 70; on wheel of gold, 22; repre-
sented on gold disc, 38, 68; represented on
shield, 60-63, 65, 74; stone head ornamented
with, 70

Monte Alban, inscriptions at, 172

Montejo, Francisco de, King's proctor, 20, 21,
31, 195

Montezuma, Cortes appeals to, for treasure, 50;
death of, 53; extent of influence of, 106; gives
treasure to Cortes, 20, 40, 41, 48, 193, 195,
202; gold and jewels of, 119; gold brought
from Michoacan for, 185; gold cup belonging
to, 104; on saucers of gold, 104; suspects Cortes
as to treasure, 47; treasure of, 43, 102; value
of treasure of, 208. See Tribute Roll

Moon represented by silver disc, 38, 192-196,
201-203; represented on shield, 62, 76

Mortuary customs of ancient Mexico, 114

Mosaic at Mitla, 162; collars of gold and, 23;
distribution of, 188; dog-head of, 18; duck-
head of, 81; in early Mexico, 119, 188; made
at Atzcapotzalco, 176; objects of, hi Spanish
loot, 24-29; of ancient Mexico, 189; of green-

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

249

stone on monster, 83; of blue stone, 24; of

feathers, 72, 73, 78; of mother-of-pearl, 115;

of pearls, 205; of turquoise on ornament, 152;

on armor, 17; on gold objects, 224; on

helmet, 204; on idols, 114; on masks, 17, 18,

71; on shield, 75, 76, 79; on shield ornament,

156; staff made of, 62; specimens of, e,xtant,

103. See Feather-work

Moscador defined, 33

Mosqueador defined, 33

Mother-of-pearl, mosaic of, 115. See Pearls

Mololinia, see Toribio de Mololinia

Mozelta of feathers and gold, 74; of featherwork,

61, 73. See Cape

Mulberries of gold on head-crest, 77

Munoz, Juan Bautista, on Spanish loot, 21, 32

Museo Mexicana, finger-rings illustrated in, 145

Museo National, Mexico, gold objects in, 150,

164, 176, 185; Mexican painting in, 158-159;

shield in, 103; Sologuren collection purchased

by, 144; Tribute Roll in, 210

Museo Nazionale, Florence, gilded atlatls in, 214

Nadaillac, Marquis de, cited, 219

Nahuan region, gold objects from, 176-181

Narvaez, Pamfilo de, with Cortes, 54
National Museum of Mexico, see Museo National

Navarrete, M. F. de, cited, 206

Navarro, Joaquin, Prescott translated by, 208

Necklaces, Aztec name for, 213; for greyhounds,

71; gold, given Grijalva, 11; of beads used in

trade, 19; of gold, 11-13, 16, 17, 38, 192; of

gold and jewels, 194, 201, 203; of green-

stone and gold, 71; on idols, 15, 180; sent to

King, 97, 98; with bollones, 67

AND MONOGRAPHS

250

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Needles of copper in grave, 166; used in trade, 19

Nezahualcoyotl, treasure of, 119

Niqardo, Antonio, gold taken by, 90

Nieto, Diego, gold sent to heirs of, 88

Noche Triste, 55

Nochistlan, gold beads from, 173; tribute paid

by ,.110

Nomenclature of gold objects, 213

Nose-ornaments, how made, 127; of gold, 69, 181

Nuestra Senora de Antigua, silver for, 57, 89

Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, gift to, 56, 89
Nut tall, Zelia, cited, 221; codex issued under

direction of, 160

Oaxaca, ancient gilding in, 218; gold objects

from, 143-176, 180; gold tribute paid by, 110;

mosaic-work from, 188

Obsidian, eyes of idols made of, 115; mirror-

case of, 67; tattooing with, 127

Ochandiano, Domingo de, brings royal decree, 32

Ocotlan, tribute paid by, 111

Offerings of jewels to Tenochtitlan temple, 177.

See Human sacrifice

Olla of gold, 16

Ollin, significance of, 175

Onate, Cristdbal, certification by, 101; jewels

inventoried by, 96-101

Ordas, Diego de, gold delivered to, 88

Ornaments represented in codex, 108. See

Jewels

Osorio, Andres, gold taken by, 89

Otlatitlan, tribute paid by, 112

Our Lady of Guadalupe, gifts to church of, 56.

89

Our Lady of the Antigua, gift to, 57, 89

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

251

Oviedo y Valdes, J. F. de, cited, 190, 206-207;

loot examined by, 36, 191, 194-195; on gild-

ing in Central America, 217; on Grijalva ex-

pedition, 14-15; on the gold disc, 37

Owl of gold, 97; on gold rings, 99; represented

on mirror, 67; represented on shield, 62

Old-head in gold, 171-172; on shield, 204

Oxitlan, tribute paid by, 112

Ozomatli, significance of, 172. See Monkeys

Pablo, cabin-boy, gold taken by, 91

Pacheco, Luis, gifts to, 64-65

Padilla, Garcia de, gifts to, 63

Papantla, gold jewel from, 185; ruins of, 224

Parrot of feathers and gold, 62; of gold, 85

Paso y Troncoso, Francisco, cited, 43, 124, 154,

156, 219

Patena denned, 33

Peabody Museum, codex in, 155, 220

Pearls among Spanish loot, 200; consigned to

King, 89; in serpent ornament, 100; mospic-
work of, 205; offered to'Tenochtitlan temple,

177; scepter decorated with, 204; shields

ornamented with, 205. See Mother-of-pearl

Pena, Juan de la, letter to, on Spanish loot, 194

Penafiel, Antonio, cited, 212, 218-225; gold ob-

jects illustrated by, 145, -164, 169; on Aztec

gold objects, 176; on Zapotec tribute, 111;

Tribute Roll reproduced by, 108, 210

Petidants of gold, 23, 166, 197; on carnicles, 67;

on eagle-head ornament, 149; on earrings and

necklaces, 33; on gold eagle, 83; on gold neck-

laces, 38-39, 67, 201, 203; on gold ornaments,

85, 98, 148-150; on jeweled head, 84; on

medal, 100; on shield ornament, 156; sent to

King, 99, 101

AND MONOGRAPHS

i. N. M. — 2

252

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Peppers given to Spaniards, 18

Peres, Hernan, gold carried by, 89-91

Peres, Juan, gold taken by, 91

Pern, gold cups from, 104; gold objects from.

104, 187; mosaic-work of, 188
Pevetes given to Spaniards, 18
Phillips, /., gold ornament owned by, 149
Phillips, Sir Thomas, Duran manuscript pur

chased by, 207
Piaca, see Tepeaca

Pinchers of gold in grave, 166. See Tongs
Pinelo, Ledn, cited, 155, 220
Pinetes given to Spaniards, 18
Pinj antes defined, 33
Pins used in trade, 19
Pirates, Spanish loot captured by, 209
Pitchers • of alabaster, 17
Plancarte, Francisco, cited, 181, 223
Plaques of gold as tribute, 111. See Plates
Plates, gold, Aztec name for, 213; of gold, 44.

175; wooden, with gold leaf, 18. See Breast-
plate

Plating, see Leaf-gold; Leaf-silver
Platters, see Plates
Pliers used in trade, 19
Plumes of gold, 60-61, 69. See Featheru-ork.

Quills

Poetry, Aztec, gold mentioned in, 116
Polanco, Licentiate, gifts to, 64
Poma of feathers and gold, 78; of feathenvork

73, 74

Poniard of gold, 16; of shell and gold, 83
Porphyry, head of, 69
Portoc.arre.ro. Alonso Fernandez, King's proctor

20, 21, 31, 195

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

253

Portocarrero, Juan, see Puerto-Carrero

Potonchan, barter with Indians of, 15

Pottery found in tomb, 147; ornamented with

gold, 181, 183-184; scraper of, in gold-work-

ing, 136

Pouch of gold network, 52. See Bags

Prcscott, W. H., cited, 206, 208

Pueblo Viejo, mounds near, 167; tomb found in,

151

Piiertocarrcro, see Portocarrero

Puerto-Carrero, Juan, gifts to, 66

Puetlan, tribute paid by, 112

Puj antes, denned, 33

Pulque, see God of Pulque
Pyrites, eyes of idols made of, 115

Pyx sent to King, 69, 97

Quartz, lip-ornaments of, 85

Quauhtli defined, 171. See Eagle-head

Quaxaca, Spanish party sent to, 143. See

Oaxaca

Queen of Spain, objects sent to, 22, 35, 72-104

Quetzalcoatl, goldsmiths' art improved by, 117

Quetzal-feathers on shield, 159

Quicksilver used in gilding, 217-218

Quills covered with gold, 28; gold kept in, 107;

of gold, 16, 58, 62, 78, 82. See Feathers

Quimbayas, gold objects from, 187

Quinones, Antonio de, King's proctor, 72, 86, 87,

90, 91, 209

Ramirez. J. F., Duran manuscript annotated

by, 207; on value of Aztec treasure, 48; Pres-

cott annotated by, 208

Rapiers adorned with gold, 78; sent to King, 97

AND MONOGRAPHS

254

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Rattles, see Bells

Rattlesnake represented on bell, 181

Recalde, Juan Lopez de, King's paymaster, 90, 96

Rings decorated with birds, 99; of gold in Uni-

versity Museum, 224. See Finger-rin^s

Rio Balsas, gold from, 105

Rio Salado, mounds near, 167

Rivera, Juan de, gold taken by, 87, 88, 90

Roa, Mencia de, gold sent to, 88

Robertson, Wm., cited, 103, 209

Rodriguez, Anton, gold taken by, 91

Roller i, Antonio, gold bell formerly owned by,

224

Rosales, Francisco de, gold consignment, 89, 90

Rosary of gold, 71, 98

Rosettes of gold, 68, 97-99; on girdle, 99; orna-

ment with chalchihuite, 101; with head and

pendants, 100

Rrenaquajo ornament, 99

Ruby on shield, 61

Ruiz de la Mola, gifts to, 63

Sacrifice, markings of, on corselet, 75. See

Human sacrifice

Sacrificios island, gold among Indians of, 13

Sahagun, B. de, Aztec songs collected by, 212;

cited, 207, 213-217; manuscript of, 124; on

Aztec gold-working, 123-141; on gifts by

Montezuma, 41

Salazar, see Cervantes de Salazar

Salt used in gold-working, 133

Salto, Diego del, gold taken by, 91

Salzeda, Francisco, debt of, to King, 93

Sdmano, Juan de, gift to, 64

San Antonio del Alto, gold objects from, 174

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

255

Sanchez, Ambrosio, voyage of, 33
Sanchez, Matheo, gold taken by, 91
Sancti Spiritus, a caravel, 209
Sand used in gold- working, 136
Sandals of skin and gold, 200, 204; sewn with
gold thread, 25; used in trade, 19. See Shoes
San Francisco de Cibdad de Real, gifts to, 58-59 ;
San Francisco de Medellin, silver for, 89
San Jeronimo, island of Espanola, 22
San Juan de Ulua, barter with Indians of, 15
San Pablo Huitzo, gold objects from, 175. See

HuitZQ

San Salvador de Oviedo, gifts to, 60
San Sebastian, gold jewels in tomb at, 147
Santa Clara de Tordesillas, gifts to, 60
Santa Maria de la Rdbida, a ship, 86, 87, 91
Santiago, Licentiate, gift to, 64
Santiago de Galicia, gifts to, 60-61
Santo Domingo, Cuban gold objects known to, 10
Santo Tomds de Avila, gifts to, 58
Sargent, Homer E., gold ring possessed bv, 145
Saucers of gold, 16, 104-107
Saville, M. H., cited, 190, 191, 211, 222, 223
Scallop-shells of silver, 76; ornaments of, 82-83
Scepter of gold, 204; of mosaic-work, 24, 27, 198
Scissors used in trade, 19
Scorpion represented on ornament, 100
Scrapers used in gold- working, 136
Seeds sacrificed to Tenochtitlan temple, 177
Seler, E., Aztec song published by, 212; bell
collected by, 168; cited, 220, 223; copy of
Kingsborough codex given to, 154; on Aztec
poetry, 116-117; on gold found in excavation,
179; on Mexican goldwork, 141-142, 215-217;
Sahagun chapters published by, 124

AND MONOGRAPHS

256

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Serpents of gold on shields, 59, 60, 62-66,
77, 225; ornament representing, 100, 127;
represented by grecque, 161-162. See Snakes

Sevilla, gifts to churches in, 57; Spanish loot
sent to, 36, 86, 91, 96, 191, 194, 195, 209

Shells, collars made of, 40; for ornamenting
mats, 115; made of gold, 198, 205; mosaic
of, on gold object, 224; mosaic-work on,
188; ornaments of, 82, 98; set in gold, 71; set
in gold and stone, 82, 83; with chalchihuite
and gold, 70. See Conch-shells; Scallop-
sJiells; Snail-shells

Shields, bibliographic reference to, 221; given as
tribute, 159; given to churches, 57-60; mo
saic, 27, 224; of ancient Mexico, 158-159; of
feather-mosaic extant, 103, 159; of feather-
work and gold, 28, 74, 200,204, 205; of gold,
17, 69, 198; of gold in codex, 112; of mosaic
and gold, 75; of painted wood, 18; of silver,
30, 84, 95; ornamented with gold, 56; repre-
sented by brooch, 151, 153; sent to House
of Trade, 225; sent to King, 97; various
gifts of, 56-98; with arrows, 98; with feath-
ered serpent, 60; with golden head, 57; with
gold serpent, 59; with monster of gold, 60;
with plate of gold, 31; wooden, with gold-leaf,

Shoes like sandals, 18; of skin and gold, 198; sent
to King, 84; used in trade, 19. See Sandals

Silver, armlets of, 200; bucklers of, 198; crests of,
192; discs of, 200; in Aztec poetry, 116; ob-
jects offered to Tenochtitlan temple, 177; ob-
jects of gold and, 168; objects of Middle
America, 7; scallop-shells of, 76; shields of,
30, 84-85, 95; shields of featherwork and, 205;

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

257

turtles of, in grave, 166; various objects of,
30, 165; wheel of, in Spanish loot, 30, 35-38,
192-196, 201-203; worked by Aztecs, 133-134

Skins of birds and animals, 204; painted red, 18

Skull of gold in grave, 166. See Death's head

Slaves sold by Spaniards, 93

Snail-shells as ear-ornaments, 69; flowers of, 71;
of gold, 69; of gold in necklace, 68; of gold
on shield, 60, 62, 64; with greenstone, 71.
See Shells

Snakes, ears represented by, 69; head of, on
forehead of image, 69; lip-ornaments shaped
like, 85; mosaic scepter in form of, 27; rep-
resented in gold, 100, 101, 193; represented
on idols, 115. See Serpents

Society of Antiquaries, gold cup exhibited to, 104

Soconusco, tribute paid by, 113

Soldering by gold-workers, 141

Sologuren, objects in collection of, 144, 150-152,
169-175

Sombrerito, tomb found at, 144-145

Songs of ancient Mexicans, 212

Solo, Diego de, objects of gold sent by, 66, 76-79

Sources of gold, 14, 104-107

South America, gold objects from, 181, 184

Spades of copper, 205 •

Spaniards represented in codex, 154

Spears of gold and featherwork, 198. See Har-
poons; Lances

Spindles of gold, 71

Spoons of gold, 71; used in gold-working, 140-142

Staff of gold, 79; of mosaic- work, 62

Standard of wolf-skin, 25

Stetson, J. B., Duran manuscript in collection of .
207

AND MONOGRAPHS

258

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Stockings among Spanish loot, 33

Stone age of Europe, 7

Stone objects of Middle America, 7

Stones, precious, among Spanish loot, 196; red,

on gold necklaces, 38, 39. See Greenstones;

Jewels; Mosaic

Stratification, see Geological stratification

Strebel, Hermann, cited, 222; gold object col-

lected by, 169

Stuart, Mrs Wm., gold collection of, 175-176

Sun, hieroglyph of, 175; in featherwork and

gold, 78; represented by gold disc, 37, 192-

196, 201-203; represented in gold on shield,

62; represented on medal, 100

Tabasco, gold objects from, 188; Grijalva on

coast of, 11

Tajin, ruins of, 224. See Papantla

Tamazolan, tribute paid by, 1 10

Tamazulapa, Indians of, 106

Tamozolapan, tribute paid by, 110

Tampico, limit of Grijalva's journey, 10

Tdpia, Andres de, cited, 208, 211; gold objects

described by, 114, 193; on discovery of Aztec

treasure, 46-47; on gifts by Montezuma, 191,

193; on gold and silver wheels, 35, 37

Tdpia, Bernaldino Vdsquez de, agent of the

King, 86, 96

Tarascan region, gold objects from, 181-185,

188; pottery from, 181-182, 184

Targets of gold, 198

Tattoo represented in ornaments, 127

Tecoyahualco, a ward of Tenochtitlan, 157

Tchuantepec, gold objects from, 147, 175--176;

Spaniards at, 12

INDIAN NOTES

I N D E X 259

Temixtitlan, gold sent from, 92; shields from,

85; silver shields from, 95; war in, 93
Temple of the Columns, mosaic-work in,

162

Tendile, gifts sent through, 20. See Teudilli
Teniz, Spaniards explore, 106
Tenochtiilan, a market for treasure, 118-119;

ancient site of, 178; exchange of gifts at, 40;

gold objects received at, 195; jewels regis- i

tered at, 97; temple of, 176-178; tribute to

chiefs of, 108; wards of, 157
Tenuxiitan, see Tenochiitlan
Teocuitlacomalli defined, 180, 213
Teocuiilacoyolli defined, 213
Teocuitlamaqtiiztli defined, 213
Teocuitlamecall defined, 213
Teocutlan, tribute paid, by, 111
Teoiitlan, gold objects from, 169; mask from,

168; tribute paid by, 112
Teotitlan del Camino, gold objects from, 165
Tepaneco, the, as goldsmiths, 117
Tepeaca, sale of slaves of, 93-94
Tepetetlaoztoc, codex pertaining to, 153, 219
Tepic, gold objects from, 182, 184, 185
Tepito, gold tooth from, 185
Tepuzcululan, tribute paid by, 110
Teteullan, tribute paid by, 112
Teilpac, tribute paid by, 111
Teudilli, gold and silver wheels given by, 203.

See Tendile

Teuhcalco, Aztec wealth stored in, 41
Teuhtlile, see Tendile; Teudilli
Texcoco, see Tezcuco
Texopan, tribute paid by, 1 10
Tezcatlipoca, Aztec deity, 180

AND MONOGRAPHS

260

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Tezcuco, decorated bowl from, 162; gold from

94; war in, 93

Theft of gold, punishment for, 118, 213

Thistle of green feathers, 74

Thread, gold, sandals -sewn with, 25

Thr owing-sticks, see Atlatls

Ticocyahuacatl, chief of Tecoyahualco, 157

Tiger-feet with gold clawTs, 59

Tiger-head in gold, 198; on shield, 204; with

metal bells, 29

Tigers, insignia of knights, 222; of gold, 71, 100.

101, 192; represented on girdles, 99

Tiger-skin, armlet of, 82; cape lined with, 56;

garment of warrior, 158; mask of, 71; orna-

mented with stones, 194; sent to King, 72

Tlacochahuaya, see Tlacueychahayan

Tlacolula, graves near, t70

Tlacotlal, tribute paid by, 112

Tlacueychahayan, tribute paid by, 111

Tlatlaliani denned, 123

Tlaxcala, Cortes at, 40

Tlaxcalans aid in securing loot, 53; losses of, 54,

Tlaxiaco, bell from, 168

Tobar. author of Codex- Ramfrez, 222

Tochtepec, tribute paid by, 112

Toledo, gifts to church in, 57

Toledo, Gregorio, gold objects in possession of.

148

Toltecs, goldsmiths' art attributed to, 117

Tomb, gold eagle-heads from, 174; gold objects

from, 145, 147, 151, 182, 188; mosaic-work

from, 188. See Graves

Tonatiuh, see Sun

Tongs in gold-working, 120. See Pinchers

INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

261

Tooth, human, in gold, 174, 185

Tooth-picks of gold, 101

Tordcsillas, Indian girls at, 32

Toribio de Motolinia, cited, 121-122, 214

Torquemada, Juan de, cited, 122-123, 214

Torres, Antonio de la, gold consigned to, 90

Torres, Juan de, gold consigned to father of, 89

Tortoise-shell, fan of, 60

Totonaca, gold objects from region of, 169, 185-

186

Tototepec, tribute paid by, 112
Toztlan. tribute paid by, 112
Tozzer, A. M., acknowledgment to, 155
Trade, objects used in, 19; with Indians at

Tehuantepec, 12; with Mexican coast Indi-
ans, 15
Trees represented on blowguns, 52; represented

on carnicles, 67; represented on gold disc, 196
Tribute exacted by Spaniards, 219; levied by

Montezuma, 158; of gold in Mexico, 108;

represented in codex, 154
Tribute Roll of Montezuma, 108; certain designs

in, 157-159; copies of, 210
Troncoso, see Paso y Troncoso
Trumpet, golden, in Aztec poetry, 116
Tubes, cane, gold kept in, 107, 108
Tuchitepeque, gold from, 107
Tulleca defined, 123
Turkey represented on pottery, 183
Turkey- feathers, fan made of, 58
Turquoise, earrings ornamented with, 16; from

Tepic, 183; in Aztec poetry, 116; mosaic of,

18, 152, 224; necklace of, 71; set in gold,

52; used on rings, 99
Turtle-bone in fan, 78

AND MONOGRAPHS

262

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Turtles, gold, necklace of, 67, 97; gold set in

chalchihuite, 68; ornaments, 98, 128; silver,

in grave, 166

Turtle-shells, boxes made of, 97

Tustepec, gold from, 105

Tututepec, gold object from, 173

Twenty, sign of, in codex, 108-109

Tzinacanoztoc, tribute paid by, 112

Tzontemoc, Aztec god of night, 164

University of California, codex published by, 160

University Museum, Philadelphia, gold object?

in, 147

Urre, Mosiu de, gifts to, 65

Utensils made for Cortes, 49, 51

Valentini, drawings of gold objects owned by.

146, 163

Valladolid, Spanish loot at, 32, 36, 191, 195, 201

Value of Aztec treasure, 47-48

Vase, gold objects placed in, 166

Vedia, Enrique de, Gomara's work published

by, 191

Vega, Hernando de, gifts to, 64

Veils, see Clothing

Velasquez, Diego, expedition sent by, 10, 20;
Indian girls sent to, 33; report by, on treas-

ure, 15

Velasquez de Leon, Juan, Aztec treasure men-

tioned to, 45

Vera Cruz, attempt to take loot to, 55; founding

of, 35; gold objects from, 13, 164-165, 169,

180, 185, 188; gold registered in, 87, 91; limit

of Grijalva's journey, 10; report sent by Coun-

cil of, 32; Spaniards visit coast of, 20; Spanish

loot in, 191; tributes of gold from, 113

. INDIAN NOTES

INDEX

263

Veret, Luis, delivery of loot to, 32

Vergara, Alonso de, a notary, 86-87, 90

Verjitas defined, 34

Vessels of gold among Aztec treasure, 44

Vetancurt, Agusftn, cited, 213

Vitcttopuchlli, God of Battles, 204

Warriors, insignia of, 171

Wax used in gold-working, 126, 129, 130, 137-

140, 142

Weasels represented in ornaments, 97-100

Wheels of feathers, 31; of gold and silver, 22, 30,

35-38, 192-196, 201-203; of gold on feather

piece, 60; of gold on helmet, 78; of gold on

shield, 62-64, 66; of silver, 30, 38; on gold

eagle ornament, 149; on silver strip , 84;

with gold embroidery, 74. See Discs

Wildcat-skins lined with cotton, 29

Williams, Helen Maria, Humboldt translated

by, 210

Wolf-heads in gold, 198; with metal bells, 29

Wood, mosaic- work on, 188

Worms of gold for pendants, 101

Wristguards sent to King, 84

Xaltepec, tribute paid by, 110

X ay oca, tribute paid by, 112

Xicales, see Gourds

Xicaltepec, tribute paid by, 112

Xipe Totec, a deity, 109, lid, 118, 213

Yaca papalotl denned, 181

Yaca uicolli defined, 181

Yancuitlan, tribute paid by, 110

Yanes, Alonso, discovers Aztec treasure, 45

AND MONOGRAPHS

264

GOLDSMITH'S ART

Yanhnitlan, tomb found in, 151
Yautlan, tribute paid by, 112
Yucatan, discovery of, 10; gold objects from
188, 189; visited by Grijalva, 10
Yxmatlallan, tribute paid by, 112

Zacatnla, gold from, 105
Z amor a, pottery with gold-leaf from, 182
Zapata, Licentiate, gifts to, 63
Zapolec, antiquities, 144; funeral-urns from
tombs, 172; gold from region of, 105, 149, 150.
163, 164, 171, 188
Zemi of gold, 70, 198; represented on gold disc,
37

INDIAN NOTES

INDIAN NOTES

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